Coffee with the Captain
by Midnight Minute
Summary: "Captain..." Petra began quietly, not even able to make eye contact she was so embarrassed, "I was wondering, I mean, since we've got so much time off, do you think maybe you'd like to come back home with me? It's just for a bit." A long silence filled the room as Levi stared at her plainly, quirking a single eyebrow, "You want me to go home with you?" ((A Wall's Day Prequel!))
1. Chapter 1

Readers! I know it's a bit early, buuuuttt…

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have (for those who may not be aware) gotten in a bit of a habit of writing Holiday Pieces for SNK, and so this year I wanted to write out a piece for Thanksgiving. As a treat to those who have read Wall's Day (or those who have not!) I wanted to slip in a little note and say that you could certainly consider this piece to be a **_Prequel_** **to Wall's Day**!

While you certainly don't _have_ to consider it that way if you don't want to, I did intentionally write this story with the Wall's Day timeframe and plot in mind, so you may see a few things here and there that point to that story, and I hope that helps enrich your reading experience :)

Before I start I really want to say THANK YOU to those that have been following, commenting, and encouraging my writing as of late. I cannot being to describe how encouraging it is to read people's thoughts about my writing and the quality they feel it brings with it. I feel honored to be able to capture minds and communicate my thoughts with others, so I cannot express my sincere gratitude enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Not a single person goes unnoticed!

Anywho. As always, subscribe, review, follow, all that good stuff. Thanks for the read, and have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving everyone!

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Petra fidgeted slightly, nervously glancing around the room and trying to get a good vibe about what events might be taking place.

Levi had woken everyone up especially early today, and in the manner he had done so (practically banging her door down he had been knocking so hard) Petra was worried what the day might have in store.

At her sudden rude awakening, she had all but fallen out of her bed and practically threw on her military uniform, jumping into her boots and pulling them up with each jump she took down the hallway, not even sure if her shirt was right side in or not. In fact, she was pretty sure the buttons were misaligned, but with how sleep fogged her mind still was and how angry the Captain sounded; she didn't feel it was worth the time it would take to redo it.

She had negated brushing her hair and certainly didn't take the time for her usual morning shower, so instead of wearing her hair down; she wore it up in a frizzy, sleep tossed bun. Based off of everyone else's disheveled appearance, she presumed her squad mates' morning routine had been greatly hindered as well.

For a few minutes they sat in complete silence, a nervousness setting in the room as they exchanged worried glances. They would rub their eyes or yawn widely, but no one dared to speak, as though their mere voice would summon the glowering terror that had awoken them not moments ago.

The group waited anxiously for the Captain, however after another fifteen minutes passed by with no sign of him, the atmosphere slowly began shifting from unspeakable dread to casual curiosity.

Petra, not as concerned as she had been before, gave another wide yawn, looking behind her and toward the hallway before standing up and stretching fully, some of her joints popping as she moved.

"Well that's something." Auruo whispered with wide eyes, "I thought we did something wrong. No one left food out or anything right?"

The group shook their head in unison, no one being stupid enough to make a mess of their living quarters – not while Levi was around anyway.

"Well whatever it is, it must be bad. I don't think I've seen Levi so…" Eld looked for the right word, an odd expression on his face.

"Grumpy." Gunther finished, looking toward Petra, his expression a horrified sort of shock, "I don't think we've gotten this sort of treatment from him since we all got initiated onto the squad. You should have _seen_ him this morning Petra, it was something."

Petra gaped, "Wait, seen him, as in, he went in your dorm room?"

Gunther nodded gravely, motioning toward Auruo with wide eyes, "He stormed right in and tipped over Auruo's mattress, telling us to get dressed and all that."

"That's awful!" Petra exclaimed, imagining the scene and gaping further, "I mean he knocked on my door so loud I was _certain_ he'd break it, but he didn't barge in or anything. Why would he do that to you guys?"

Eld responded flatly, "Petra. He knows better than to storm into a _lady's_ room, no matter how upset he may be, but I don't think there's anything stopping him from marching into _our_ room like that, especially when he's angry."

"Well I'm glad for that," Petra marveled, "I don't know if the first thing I could wake up to is a glaring Captain, tipping my mattress over. Didn't that hurt?"

Auruo gave a small grimace as he shrugged, "Didn't hurt so much as it surprised me. It's a hell of thing to wake up to, that's for sure."

Petra took a breath as she shook her head, "Gosh. Hopefully whatever's got him so upset is something small that won't make the entire day miserable, though I kind of doubt it." She looked behind her once more, then toward the adjacent kitchen at the end of the room, "I'm going to try and make the coffee; let's hope I can finish before the Captain gets here. Tell me if you hear him coming okay?"

The group had agreed and watched the hallway, and just as she finished setting out the mugs, hushed whispers of "Petra, hey, he's coming – hurry up!" had reached her.

Carefully moving back into the room and pouring each person a cup, Petra silently dashed to her seat and sat down promptly, nervously taking a small sip of the coffee as she heard Levi approach from behind her, sitting down at his usual spot at the table.

Taking a cautious glance toward the Captain, his face was as unreadable and blank as ever, though the aura around him was dark and held a palpable tension.

Petra gulped slightly.

For a long moment, Levi said nothing, merely sat at the table and stared into the wood surface, occasionally taking a deep breath, then relaxing in his chair. A few minutes passed that way, and again Petra found herself shooting nervous glances toward her teammates, certain that whatever Levi was about to say, or whatever it was he felt they had done, it was going to be _bad_.

Picking up the cup of coffee, Levi held the glass in his hand for an extended moment, observing the dark brown liquid before frowning slightly, taking a small drink and clicking his tongue slightly.

"I have an announcement," he began as he set his coffee cup on the table and neatly folded his hands in front of himself, looking around the room evenly.

Petra shifted self consciously and avoided his eye contact, finding the grooves of the table suddenly rather interesting as she waited to hear the bad news.

A long pause followed and Levi continued, "Trying to cut costs so it seems, the government has ever so _kindly_ decided to give everyone a full week of discretionary time. This time off is mandatory and is effective for all members of both the Garrison and Scout Regiment, starting tomorrow."

Petra blinked, looking around at her other baffled squad mates, who seemed just as surprised as she was.

Was… was he serious? This, _this_ was what he woke them all up early for? Apparent vacation time - not to mention it was for an entire week? Petra tried not to look as mystified as she felt. Surely this wasn't what caused Levi to wake them up in such a manner, scaring them all half to death like that, right? It couldn't be.

Not wanting to voice her internal monologue, Petra shook her head, trying to remain professional.

"Mandatory?" she repeated as she reviewed time frames in her mind, not even sure what she would accomplish given such short notice, still suspicious that Levi may have something else in store for them. She narrowed her eyes as she thought out loud, "And you said it starts tomorrow?"

Levi scoffed, turning to look at her squarely, "Did I fucking stutter Petra?" he paused for a moment and stared narrowly at her. Seeing her look of shock, he gave a long sigh and took another drink of his coffee, "Anyway, this full week I might add will be without pay, and to cut costs even further, the government will not be extending the use of any military barracks or facilities for that time frame."

Auruo raised a hand, also seemingly hesitant to believe the odd direction the conversation had taken. It was simply too good to be true. "Question. Where do you expect us to go if we can't be here? Are we running drills somewhere _else_ , or do we report to you secretly? What are you expecting from us Levi?"

Levi slouched back in his chair, crossing his arms and scowling, "Look, I don't _care_ where you go, so long as you're back here on time and ready to work when this so called vacation comes to an end. If the word 'Vacation' doesn't spell it out for you, it means you little shits don't have to report for duty for seven days. I don't want to see you until then."

Eld cleared his throat, a light smile on his face as he looked toward their disgruntled Captain, not seemingly bothered by his bad mood compared to the premise of having vacation time, "So is this like a holiday break then, with Thanksgiving coming up so soon and all? That's something to be excited for, right? Maybe the government is trying to help people out, visit family and the like."

"Sure." Levi responded flatly, "All I know is that yesterday I was told that we are all free for a week and can't be staying here, regardless of all the things Erwin had prepared and scheduled for the Regiment to complete." Levi paused, continuing after a few moments, "As for today, conditioning has been cancelled to allow everyone time to make arrangements for travel. One week from tomorrow we'll meet here same as always, but until then you're free to go."

Petra looked over toward Levi, frowning slightly when he caught her gaze and glowered darkly at her in response. Giving a light sigh of irritation, she looked into the table and knit her eyebrows together, careful to not roll her eyes while he was watching. _What in the world was with him today_? It wasn't like Levi was the most chipper of people she had ever known, but this was ridiculous. Was it just that he was upset they couldn't function normally, and he was taking it out on them? That was pretty childish and she had a mind to tell him as much, but she'd sooner cut out her tongue then smart off to Levi when he was in a mood like this.

"So that's it then; we can leave tomorrow morning for wherever?" Auruo spoke up, his voice still sounding a bit skeptical as though he were waiting to be told it was all a big hoax.

Levi gave a single nod, "Correct, though truthfully, I don't care if you leave now. All plans were cancelled to allot for those who need to make arrangements with hotels and other services, so once you've completed whatever business you need to here, you're free to go." Levi gave one last look around the room and stood up, the sound of the sliding chair echoing across the walls. He grabbed his coffee cup and moved towards the door, "Dismissed."

Petra continued staring down at the table, listening to the sound of his footfalls recede before she finally had the nerve to give a sigh of relief and look to her other teammates.

The room was silent for an extended moment, and Gunther was the first to speak, "Huh." He gave a small quizzical laugh, continuing, "Well that was…"

"…Unexpected." Eld finished, a tone of agreement falling across the room.

Eld shrugged, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips, "While I can't say that I'm excited for an entire week's worth of wages suddenly unaccounted for, I don't think I've ever seen so much time off like this – unpaid or otherwise. Not only that, but I think we dodged a bullet here. I thought Levi was ready to kill us, but I think he's just upset that all his plans were messed up." Eld sighed, "He really is such a neat freak about these things. I don't know about you, but if this is the mood that the Captain's going to be in for a while, I don't think I want to be anywhere near him anyway."

Petra couldn't help but nod in hearty agreement, taking another long drink of her coffee while Eld continued, "I suggest we all look at this in a positive light – I mean who else gets an entire week off during a holiday season like this? Levi's just plain bitter I think. What do you guys think you'll end up doing? Family time, or maybe vacation in the Capital?"

Eld's excitement seemed to give a bit more joy to the sudden change of plans, and Petra found herself smiling as she thought about being able to visit her father with the newly available time. Bad mood or not, Levi _had_ dismissed them and said they wouldn't have to report back until after Thanksgiving, so she would take him up on that.

Gunther stood up, moving toward the coffee pot and refilling his glass, "Me? I'm going home. My family has a big get together each year, so I'll probably drop in and surprise them. I haven't been able to see my kids in over a year at this point, so this will be the highlight of my year."

"Family." Auruo confirmed as he raised his cup slightly, and Eld nodded in response, "Same here."

Petra looked around the room, "Well I guess that makes all of us then. You guys know how much I miss my father, and with it being Thanksgiving, I couldn't think of a better way than to spend it with family." She found a warm smile on her face as she looked at her colleagues, encouraged by their responses. She raised her coffee cup slightly, "So here's to a week full of family and relaxation!"

Clanking their coffee cups together, the group gave a laugh at their makeshift toast, no one really caring that it was with lukewarm, weak coffee, merely excited that they had something left worth celebrating in the first place.

Finishing his coffee, Eld stood up from the table, "Well then everyone, I'll bid you adieu. I'm going to pack and get a head start on the time, hopefully I'll be able to be home by tomorrow. Track me down quickly if you need anything, I'll be gone just as soon as I can be."

"Same here." Gunther added in with a wave, standing up from the table as well and moving towards the hallway, "Stay safe out there everyone. Happy Thanksgiving!"

Petra nodded and waved, giving her farewells to Auruo before moving into the kitchen and setting to work on cleaning the room before everyone left for the week.

It was hard to wrap her mind around the idea of having so much vacation time at once. The most consecutive time off she had ever had was five straight days, and even that had come at the price of having to work double shifts at the stable for a week straight upon her return.

Of course she would go home and visit her father, that much was certain, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to surprise him like Gunther was planning to do for his family. Her father was poor and having an extra mouth to feed without warning would be taxing for him. While she of course could buy her own food without issue, she didn't want to waste her vacation time making extra trips to the city for groceries.

Finishing the last of the dishes, Petra dried her hands and moved back toward her room, rubbing her eyes slightly before sitting down at her desk with a plop. She gave another wide yawn as she tried to shake off the last of her sleepiness, halfway debating going back to bed for a while longer yet.

They had been up for an hour or so already, and the sun had yet to rise; Petra suspected it wasn't even five am yet.

Opening one of the drawers to her desk, Petra grabbed out a sheet of her stationary paper, grabbed a pen and began to write.

" _Dear Father,_

 _I have wonderful news, I still can't quite believe it myself, but I assure you that it's true: I'm coming home for Thanksgiving! My Captain said that the government is giving us a whole week off, so I won't have to report for duty until a few days after the holiday is over. I'm hoping to leave later on today, and home is about a two day journey from where I'm stationed now. If all goes well, I should arrive late Tuesday night or possibly early Wednesday morning depending on how travel goes. I don't want you to worry about funds, I'll be able to take care of myself so please don't stress about anything._

 _Love you and see you soon!_

 _Petra"_

Waiting a few minutes for the ink to dry, she carefully folded the letter in thirds, then poured a small amount of wax over the fold and pressed down firmly. Fanning the letter in the air for a moment, Petra stood up from her desk and moved back toward the hallway, taking a deep breath of preparation as she walked.

Of course the mail service ran here as usual and daily mail pickup would be in a few hours, however regular mail would not be nearly quick enough to notify her father that she was coming home. In special circumstances, letters could be sent via messenger hawks who reached their destinations much more quickly, however the use of the rookery was limited to Commanding Officers, Platoon Leaders, and other higher ranks of Command. Regardless the fact she was on the Special Ops Squad, she was not considered a commanding officer, and was certainly not an exception to the rule.

It was for that reason that Petra found herself standing in front of Levi's door, nervously fiddling with her letter while she tried to gather the courage needed to knock on the door. She felt silly, being so afraid of her own Captain - someone she had seen day in and day out for almost a full year now - however it wasn't often he was so… touchy. She wasn't sure what exactly had made him so upset this morning, because he certainly hadn't given any indication as to _why_ he was so angry, so Petra as a whole had no idea what might set him off.

Taking a deep breath, Petra exhaled slightly, lightly bringing a hand forward and tapping on the door, "Um, Captain… it's Petra. Can I come in?"

She heard shuffling of blankets from inside of the door and heard him mumble something incoherent. After a few more moments, the handle turned slightly and Levi moved into the doorway, having only opened the door halfway.

His hair was mussed and he was glaring forward, not seemingly at her, but at the light spilling in from the hallway. While she wouldn't go as far as to say he looked completely disarrayed, it was fair to say that he wasn't nearly as put together as he usually was. His shirt wasn't evenly tucked in, and it looked as though he had been lying on his side as the seams on his pants were somewhat lopsided.

Petra looked around for a slight moment, then back at the Captain, somewhat confused, "I'm sorry Captain, did… did I wake you?"

"No." was his instant reply, and Petra held in a sigh, not wanting to be rude, but irritated that he couldn't be the _slightest_ bit accommodating.

Petra cleared her throat, wanting to get to the point so their interaction wouldn't be any longer than it had to be, "Well anyway, sorry to disturb you Captain, I was just wondering if I could get your help in sending out this letter."

Levi's eyebrows rose as he blinked slowly, and Petra became highly suspicious that, yes, she _had_ indeed woken him.

The Captain scoffed, exhaling in an exhausted manner as he clamped his eyes shut tightly, "Mail gets picked up in a few hours. I thought you would've had the hang of this by now Petra." As he spoke, Levi slowly closed the door until it clicked fully shut, leaving Petra again staring blankly at the Captain's door.

Rubbing her temples with her free hand, Petra rolled her eyes and stared at the door in frustration. After a small moment, deciding she didn't care what sort of trouble it might bring, she opened the door, letting herself in and staring down at the Captain who had moved to sit on the bed.

He glared up at her shortly, and Petra put a hand on her hip, holding up the letter in her other hand for emphasis, "I _know_ that Captain. What I want help with is-"

Petra paused as she looked around the room, shocked to see that everything was so properly in its place. It wasn't that she was surprised how organized Levi was, what caught her attention more so was the fact that everything was so neatly put away and…

"Are you not going anywhere?" Petra asked quickly, knowing full well that if she had walked into any other dorm room or barracks, it would be littered with duffle bags and various clothes and supplies set out for traveling. It didn't seem like him to put things off until the last minute.

"Of course I am." Levi spat out, "Did I not make it clear that all members of the Scout Regiment were on mandatory break as of tomorrow, or didn't you hear that part?"

Petra swallowed thickly as she felt her blood start to boil, wondering how this personal attack was warranted. Petra dropped her gaze to the floor, clenching her fist while being careful not to wrinkle her letter, "Sorry Captain, I was just curious..."

Petra looked back up at Levi, trying to bring a note of cheerfulness to her voice – after all, he was probably just having a bad day like people did from time to time; extending a bit of extra courtesy was the least she could do.

"I know it's sudden. I haven't gotten started on my packing either actually. Any special plans you're looking forward to maybe?"

"I don't see how that's any of your damn business."

Petra couldn't help when her mouth fell open, and she held her hands up in confusion, "Captain I don't understand why you-"

Levi stood up, moving toward her and fixing her with another dark scowl, "What _I_ don't understand Petra is what you need from me. I presume you have things to get ready for that don't involve wasting my time, so if it's all the same with you, I'd _prefer_ you get to fucking the point."

"My letter!" Petra repeated hotly, slamming the letter down on his desk and scowling as she glared up at him, "In case _you_ weren't listening Captain, I need this letter to get to my father quickly, because putting it in the regular mail will take too long, and I need to make sure _this_ letter gets to _him_ before _I_ do!" she continued, adding emphasis on the words as she spoke, taking a breath before continuing further, "Now the only way to get this letter to him on time is through the rookery, which need I remind you I don't have clearance to use without permission, so I came here to see if you could help me get my letter sent out on time!"

Petra took another breath, pressing her lips together firmly and giving Levi a scowl of her own to match, "Now can or can't you?"

Levi merely stared at her in confusion, frowning as he looked down at her, hardly seeming to take note of her frustration, "The damned rookery?" he asked, running a hand through his hair, "Is that really what this is all about?"

"Yes!" Petra wailed, picking up her letter again and watching Levi for further confirmation.

Levi gave her an aggravated look, firmly grabbing her by the shoulder and moving her toward the door, his voice venomous in her ear, "The rookery doesn't open until ten, so if you want to use it, the least you could do is wait until there's actually someone fucking _there_ to send it. Until then, don't bother me. Shit Petra."

Without another word, Petra heard the door slam shut behind her, and could also hear Levi continue to mutter more curses to himself as he moved away from the door. Petra stood rigidly, mouth agape as she took in her sudden surroundings, once again outside of the Captain's door, and still with her letter unsent.

Petra set her jaw, and without her consent, could feel her eyes start to burn as frustration started to get the best of her.

She wasn't sure _what_ exactly she was expecting from Squad Levi, but _this_ was not it. Just about a year ago, she had received formal confirmation that Levi, best of the best, had requested she be transferred to his team. She was incredibly nervous, but she believed that in time she'd be up to par in skill with the rest of the legendary squad – after all, Captain Levi had specifically requested her, so while she doubted in herself, she took confidence in the decision of her new Captain.

At first she struggled to keep up with the Squad, and on days she was beyond frustrated, her teammates assured her time and time again that all of them had gone through that difficult learning process. After a few months of intense toning and extreme dedication, Petra had managed to hone her body so it was able to keep up with the demands of the squad, and in time, exceed them. She knew that her speed had improved remarkably, and with her improved physical condition her cuts had more depth and precision; not to mention her stamina had improved drastically as well.

Her teammates were constantly commenting on how much she had improved, quick to point out areas where she was becoming more skilled than them, and soon began asking for assistance in areas she was particularly skilled in. She became inseparable from her squad, and it didn't take long. She knew everyone's strengths and weaknesses, and they functioned almost perfectly in their practice drills as a single unit. When she was working with her team, it simply felt right, like she was exactly where she needed to be.

That was all of course excluding Levi from the equation.

In all fairness, it wasn't just her. She had never seen him compliment members of the squad, or be positive in general, however if she had to compare, he seemed unnecessarily hard on her specifically.

It didn't matter how well she did during drills, or if she made coffee, or if she was faster than everyone else in obstacle courses - he always treated her like a nuisance. At times, it seemed Levi went out of his way to just be plain rude. She would say good morning, and he would ignore her entirely or just stare narrowly at her for far longer than necessary before giving a scowl and looking elsewhere. She would ask him for feedback on her performance and he'd state with a long sigh that if he needed to give her feedback, he'd have _no problem_ telling her where her opportunities lied _'so I'd appreciate it if you laid off for a while,_ ' as he would often say.

If she tried other approaches of just leaving him be or ignoring him, he would always find some reason he needed to speak to her, be it a cleaning chore that needed to be done, or a habit in her 3DM gear style that he suddenly found to be _'completely shitty'_. It seemed that no matter what she tried, simply existing consistently set him on edge and no matter how she tried to address it, he had no interest outside of treating her as a complete inconvenience.

To her credit, she had tried to simply not care. She was a working professional, and had had a fair share of narcissistic, rude superiors that had made her professional life a nightmare, but she had never had problems working around it in the past. It hadn't mattered to her one bit what they thought of her, so their scowls, snide remarks and blatant criticisms had never bothered her.

However this time, she found it was different.

The truth was, at the very base of it all… Petra wanted Levi's approval.

Where a snide remark would normally fuel her annoyance to outrank her superiors quickly, with Levi, Petra found herself getting infuriated that she could never seem to meet his standards, so she'd work even harder, knowing still that it would never be enough. With all his glares, lack of greetings, lack of _any_ hospitality whatsoever, even when he made it painfully obvious that he openly despised her, Petra simply couldn't bring herself to not care like she had in the past.

She had debated with herself many, _many_ times, why she put up with him in the first place. Petra knew full well she was an outstanding performer on the field, so she could easily request to be moved onto a new squad without issue. She didn't _have_ to deal with the Captain's pompous attitude. At any time, she could transfer to a team where her abilities shined. Her performance would stand out so much, that perhaps in a year or so, she'd become a Captain with a team of her own.

So why then? If her future was so much more promising in other avenues, why did she stay in the emotional ringer day in and day out for a Captain that clearly would never see her as a legitimate member of his team?

Petra let out a long sigh at the thought, shaking her head darkly.

As infuriating as it was, in the end she stayed simply because of her pride. The fact that after Levi _specifically_ requested she be transferred to his command, but then after meeting her completely regret his decision, _that_ was more insulting than a rude comment or glare in the morning would ever be.

Petra was not one to be overlooked. Until she forced her _asshat_ of a Captain to realize that she was not a waste of his time and resources, that she was not a mistake he had made, that she had damn well _earned_ that spot on his squad, she had no intentions of leaving.

With a forceful exhale, Petra pressed her lips together tightly, clenching her fists and whipping around back toward the door. If she had to deal with his exasperating mannerisms day in and day out, the least he could do was send her damn letter. If he hated her so much, then it would stand to reason he'd want her out of the building as soon as possible. One would think he'd jump at the opportunity to be rid of her.

Just as she prepared to grab the handle and give her Captain a well deserved piece of her mind, she heard a small giggle from down the hallway that grabbed her attention. Frowning, Petra cautiously followed after the sound, turning the corner and all but running face first into a certain scientist who just so happened to have been stationed right at the corner's edge.

"Oh, Hanji!" Petra gasped in alarm as she took a large step back, catching her breath from being taken by surprise, "Gosh you scared the wits out of me, what are you doing here?"

"Haha, you caught me Petra!" Hanji gave a musical laugh and leaned closer to her, "I was _eavesdropping_!" she admitted almost proudly, giving another laugh at the horrified look Petra shot her.

"…You heard all of that?" Petra stated after a moment, shaking her head and attempting to smile, "Well it's probably for the best that you distracted me then. Things were about to get worse before they got better, _believe me_. Even now, I have half a mind to break his door down the way he almost did mine."

Hanji gave a knowing smile and crossed her arms, "I figured as much. You've never phased me as a girl that lets people walk all over her - I'll bet that's one of the reason's Levi appreciates you being on his squad. He doesn't like having to deal with weak people."

" _Appreciates_?" Petra repeated with wide eyes, "Sorry to disappoint you Hanji but that's not the tune he was singing today, that's for sure. It's been about a year now, well almost anyways, and I'm pretty sure _everything_ I do is still wrong in his book. If today was any indication, he all but spelled out that I don't listen, bother him too much, and meddle in business I shouldn't." Petra gave a long sigh and pursed her lips, "He makes me so angry sometimes."

Haniji shrugged, "Well I saw the look on your face when you were pushed out the door just now. Maybe it was the angle, but it wasn't exactly anger I saw on your face - looked more like disappointment to me?"

Petra gave a small nod as she laughed mirthfully, "Well as much as he aggravates me, I have a lot of respect for him so when I don't feel like I'm meeting his standards, whatever those are anyway, I take it personally." She paused, "It's silly I know."

Hanji gave a shrug, looking around the corner and towards the Captain's door, "Don't be too hard on yourself Petra. I know for a fact that Levi's very pleased with how far you've progressed in such a short time."

If Petra had laughed before, it paled in comparison. It had been a chuckle, a chortle even. Now, _now_ Petra laughed, "The Captain - pleased with me? Ha! Listen Hanji, I appreciate the kind words, but there's no need to patronize me. Unless he told you something directly then-"

"Good heavens no!" Hanji interjected with another large grin as she adjusted her glasses, "Levi would never tell me anything of the sort, not in a million years!"

Petra quirked an eyebrow and gave a smug 'that's what I thought' look, and Hanji clarified, "I _know_ because I had overheard him when he was giving your most recent status report to Erwin. Sure it was a while back now, but yours wasn't the first review I'd heard from him, however I will say I think yours was the best. I can't quote mind you, but he says he is amazed at how far you've come in such a short time, commented on how disciplined you are, how well you put your team above yourself – trust me, it was all good things."

Petra's eyes narrowed as she took in the information, not quite sure how she was supposed to respond. She cleared her throat as the silence began to get uncomfortable, "You've got a bad habit of eavesdropping, don't you."

Hanji merely smiled noncommittally, "I hear a lot of things I'm not supposed to, but I don't make a habit of gossiping if that's what you mean." A thoughtful expression crossed her face as she relaxed against the wall, looking up at the ceiling, "How to explain…I've worked with Levi for a long time now - since the first day he's joined the Scouts mind you - and I know he's not the best at communicating."

Hanji pulled her brows down for a moment and the light caught on her glasses, "He can be downright hurtful with his words sometimes, but he's not a terrible guy. He has a hard time saying what he means to, even if it's as simple as a 'Good Job'. Even if he doesn't say it directly, I think he'd want you to know that you are in fact doing well here. "

Petra shifted in her spot slightly, eyes narrowing as she turned her head slightly, looking back towards Levi's door as Hanji's words rang through her head. Petra looked back towards the Titans expert, watching her narrowly "…Why are you telling me this Hanji?"

The scientist repositioned against the wall, shooting the ginger a small sympathetic look, "Why? Let's just say that in my line of work, you specialize in working with subjects that aren't so good at communicating. It can be difficult at first and extremely frustrating, but you learn to give grace and a lot of patience because the more you do manage to learn, the better equipped you find that you are."

Hanji nodded forward for emphasis, "Just… don't be discouraged okay? You are an important addition to the Squad, in more ways than you give yourself credit for, I think."

Petra looked to the ground, shaking her head slightly and not quite able to believe in her kind words, "If you say so."

Hanji placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a large goofy grin, "Trust me Petra. You're exactly where you need to be."

Moving off from the wall, Hanji adjusted her pony tail and gave another slight laugh at Petra's conflicted expression, "Sorry if that came out of nowhere. Just couldn't help but say something after that. I should let you pack, I'm sure you've got family that you want to get home to right?"

Petra gave an unconvincing smile and nodded, watching as Hanji gave a small wave and set towards the hall.

Thinking over her words, about how Levi couldn't say even the simplest of things, about the possibility that Hanji's words held a lining of truth to them, Petra called out, "Hanji, wait!"

Hanji turned back to her slightly and Petra bit her lower lip nervously, not sure if she really should be asking such a question, but unable to stop the impulse, "The Captain, why is he so angry about the break?"

Hanji observed her plainly until her expression ran cold, "Tell me Petra, how would you feel about an entire week off, when all the people you'd want to see are already dead, and everyone else is leaving for something better, something that never _has_ , and never _will_ involve you?"

A long moment of tense silence passed, a bitterness setting in Petra's stomach with each passing moment of realization.

It was true that Petra had been on the squad for a while now, and not once could she recall the Captain leaving to visit others socially, or for that matter, others coming to visit him. Now that she thought about it, she knew next to nothing about his past, his hopes for the future within the Scout Regiment, or anything else _other_ than the fact that he was her infuriating Commanding officer.

Perhaps that really _was_ it. While the idea that Levi could inadvertently be so… so _sensitive_ , boggled her mind, was it truly that hard to imagine? What sort of person looked forward to bitter solitude while everyone else had joy and comfort in the arms of others? There wasn't a person alive who could truly feel that way, not one. Not even Levi.

What was worse was that even if he truly felt miserable, it simply wasn't like him to sit down to discuss his feelings and concerns with everyone. The mere idea of Levi sitting down at the table and explaining his fears was enough to make Petra's eyes widen and a shiver run down her spine.

Even with what little Petra knew about him, she knew Levi was too proud for such a thing.

Petra looked up at Hanji with wide eyes, "If that's true Hanji, then-"

Hanji giggled slightly as she held up her hands casually, "Oh but that's just a guess Petra, heck he probably just hasn't slept well lately, so don't let it get to you. I've got some business of my own I have to get to, but I'll see you after break okay? Travel safely!"

With that, the scientist all but skipped down the hallway, leaving Petra to watch her receding form until she completely disappeared from sight.

Standing dumbly in the middle of the hallway, Petra gave a long sigh and looked towards the Captain's door.

She really hated him sometimes. He was so cold to her, treated her terribly more often than not, and had managed to make her almost every waking moment a nightmare since transferring squads back in January.

Past all that bitterness, past all that unresolved frustration that left her swearing revenge and mumbling under her breath… her heart unwillingly went out to him.

Giving a light groan, Petra shifted her feet beneath her, unable to stop a scowl from spreading across her face.

Why should she even _care_ if Levi would be miserable and alone during the vacation time? In all reality, he had done it to himself. If he had lost people in the past that didn't mean he couldn't make _new_ friends, have _new_ people that were close and dear to him that would want to spend the holiday together.

Petra crossed her arms stubbornly and turned her head up from the door.

' _Perhaps if he weren't such a bitter old bat, people would want to be around him more'_ , she decided thinly, pressing her lips together and nodding firmly in decision.

She turned on her heals and moved towards her room in a confident stride, certain that karma was finally paying him a visit and that he deserved every bit of what was coming to him.

In the end it just wasn't her problem. Perhaps if he had been a bit nicer she would feel more obligated to reach out to him when he was too stubborn to reach out for himself, but that was far from the case and Petra was too busy to be overly considerate towards a Captain who clearly disliked her anyway.

Moving into her room and toward her closet, Petra grabbed out a duffle bag and set it roughly on her bed, moving through her things and grabbing out bits of clothes and supplies she would need for her time away. She began rolling her clothes for packing, applying more force than necessary to the chore when the idea of Levi sitting somewhere all alone, miserable and missing loved ones unwillingly crossed her mind.

She paused from her task, unable to stop herself from wondering what it would be like to have no one to see, no hope for a future outside of the Scout Regiment, and no true reason to celebrate after having lost it all. She couldn't _imagine_ the despair and longing; how terrible it must be to have no one, and how each holiday season would only amplify that pain exponentially.

A twist of deep seeded guilt churned in her stomach and Petra rolled her eyes, sitting down onto her bed promptly and putting her head in her hands for a moment, trying to clear her mind.

Even if, and she meant _if_ , as there was _no way_ she would ever actually invite the Captain to go anywhere with her if she could avoid it – even if she somehow through an act of divine mercy invited him to go back and celebrate Thanksgiving with her, Levi would only glare at her, scoff and say something completely rude, and make her feel embarrassed for even asking in the first place.

There was no way he would ever agree to such a thing; he hated her. Furthermore, it wasn't like he was her first choice of company either. To be more exact, Levi was the last person on earth she'd want to invite if it came right down to it.

While she knew full well that they had things in common, neither of them seemed to be able to get around their differences long enough to not bicker about everything. While it would be over dramatic to say that each interaction had been miserable, Petra could not once recall a single time of laughing with Levi, talking about their day, past memories, or anything that might lead to an amicable interaction of any kind.

Chewing the inside of her lip, Petra rolled her neck slightly, popping her joints and pondering the idea further. She could admit to herself that yes, she did indeed feel sorry for him, however given her position and more importantly, the undeniable fact Levi disliked her, there was nothing she could do.

Aside from the impossibilities of her inviting him and Levi actually saying yes, there were more practical issues that would need to be addressed.

For starters, she had no idea where Levi would even stay. Of course she would be staying in her old room, but it wasn't exactly like her father lived in a large spacious house where they could maintain something as frivolous as a guest bedroom.

However now that she thought about it, they did have a spare cot that they kept in storage for when extended family came to visit. Her father had often cleared out space in his workshop to accommodate traveling family members as they stopped by, so perhaps there was room after all.

Feeling her eyes widen at the sudden direction her thoughts were taking her, Petra stood up from her mattress as though she had been hit by a wave of electricity, starting to pace her room nervously as she shook her head back and forth.

"What am I thinking?" Petra whispered harshly to herself, looking at her duffle bag and reviewing things over in her head, "This isn't Gunther or Eld or someone that I actually like – this is _Captain Levi_. There is no way I am letting that jerk step foot in my home!"

Inviting him meant traveling with him, and seeing Levi almost every second of her ever so precious vacation time that she may never get to have again. If he ruined her vacation with his behavior she would never forgive herself for bringing him along in the first place, not when there had been so many red flags to warn her against it.

Plus there was the fact that Levi was so rude and had no social graces of any kind – what if he treated her father the same way he treated her? Petra could deal with Levi's cold mannerisms, but she very well might get kicked out of the military for insubordination if she saw the Captain treat her _father_ poorly.

Petra threw her hands up in the air as though washing her hands of the matter, "Well that's it then."

Petra moved to her dresser and leaned in towards her mirror, staring into her reflection seriously, "I've thought it over from all angles, and while yes I wish I could help, there's just nothing I can do. He hates me, I hate him, and aside from all that it's not my problem to deal with. Facts are facts - the Captain will just have to spend Thanksgiving alone."

Where Petra's words had been meant to give her more resolve and finality on the matter, hearing those words spoken out loud – hearing herself personally make the decision to turn her back on a person who clearly needed a helping hand, Petra gave a long, low sigh.

She looked again into the mirror and saw the guilt in her eyes, and the last of her resolve melted away.

…She really, really hated Levi sometimes.

Taking a step toward her desk, Petra gave a longsuffering sigh and carefully scratched the wax off her letter, opening it up and grabbing her ink pen as she took a seat. Looking at the empty space at the bottom of the letter, Petra shook her head, still unable to believe that she was actually going through with this.

There was still time to turn back. She hadn't said anything to the Captain, hadn't said anything to Hanji about her conflicted thoughts, and hadn't written anything that would lead her father to question her about it later. She could simply seal her letter again, send it when the rookery opened and go about her day as though nothing had happened - as though she had never received any such insight about the realities her Captain shouldered each day.

Petra closed her eyes and shook her head, knowing that through it all, through all the frustration he had caused her, she could not turn a blind eye when there was something she could do to help him. It was true that he didn't deserve her kindness, but no one - absolutely no one - deserved to be alone like that.

Petra took a nervous breath as she touched the pen against the paper's smooth surface, beginning to write.

" _PS Father-_

 _I'd like to add that I'll be bringing my Captain back with me; his name is Levi if you recall. He doesn't have any family to celebrate with so I told him that he would be more than welcome to join ours for the holiday. If you wouldn't mind clearing some space out so he can stay with us for a few days, I'd really appreciate it._

 _Thanks for your understanding Father; we'll see you soon."_

Petra looked at her added words, not certain if she was proud of herself, or if she should consider herself the stupidest girl on the planet.

Petra moved her attention toward the window in front of her desk, frowning as she imagined Levi in her home, eating breakfast with them, talking with her father while she cooked meals…

Petra's eyes shot open. Levi would be in her home.

She quickly began writing once more, urgency expressed in the thick black ink that followed behind her hand:

" _Father, please, please, please make sure you clean everything thoroughly before we arrive!"_

Petra set her pen down, exhaling and giving her words one last review before folding the paper again and pressing it closed with her wax seal.

There.

It was done and there was no going back.

Somehow, she wasn't sure how just yet, but regardless how stubborn Levi was, regardless the fact that he would pitch a fit and demand he be left alone, Petra knew full well... Levi Ackerman _would_ be coming home with her for Thanksgiving.

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End of Chapter One

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Thanks for reading; I hope this ending has suckered you into coming back and reading all that is to come!It's looking like this story will be significantly longer than Walls Day, I'm expecting it to have anywhere from 5 - 8 chapters? As for time frames, I'm hoping to have this piece completed mid December? That's a somewhat an ambitious goal as timeliness is not exactly what I'm known for around here, but I'm doing my best to write this diligently and correctly.

I'm expecting to post Chapter 2 in a few weeks, very likely around Thanksgiving itself!

Again, thank you so much to my readers!

~Midnight


	2. Chapter 2

*yawn*

Hey readers! It is late and I am very, very tired. (Holidays will do that to ya though, so I've heard -_-)

Welcome back for good old Chapter Two! As I keep writing this out, I can't help but question just how long this story is going to be? I find it hilarious that this prequel is looking like it will double or *cough* triple the length of Walls Day. That's how the cookie crumbles though – I shouldn't be surprised that I have more to say about this couple now than I did a year ago. It still amuses me regardless however.

I did want to at least post the next update before Thanksgiving for yall, so I appreciate the patience and support as I create my very first full length, poly-chaptered Levitra!

As always, comments or whatnot are appreciated. Enjoy the read and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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Drumming her fingers against the wooden surface in agitation, Petra tried desperately to remain calm.

She was getting really, really, really tired of explaining this.

Petra had known it would take a lot to get it through his pompous, stubborn, Petra-would-ya-lay-off-for-a-while numbskull antics, but this was ridiculous.

She glared tersely, her voice getting low as she tried to keep a professional, yet still demanding edge in her voice, "Alright. I will explain this one last time, _Captain_. I am inviting you out of the kindness of my heart and considering that I've already told my Father that you'll be coming home with us, you don't have a leg to stand on in this discussion."

Holding up a hand quickly so Levi wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise, Petra nodded slightly, reminding herself to keep firm eye contact with him, "Before you even _try_ to deny it or come up with a lousy excuse again, I want to remind you that you were clearly upset this morning and actions speak louder than words. No matter what you say _now_ , it's clear you don't want to spend the vacation time alone, so it's stupid to let your pride ruin the whole holiday."

A long moment of tense silence passed, and Petra dropped her gaze to the floor, staring down at her feet as her words lost some of her intended power, "It's not exactly a secret that you and I don't get along well, and I also know that…" Petra gave a long sigh, her unspoken words hurting her as she forced herself to continue, "…that I disappoint you _a lot_ – to the point that you regret bringing me on your squad… I _get_ that you don't want to be anywhere near me..."

She gave a small shrug, "But it's only for a week _and_ its Thanksgiving. These things are important Captain; can't we just put our differences aside, if only for a little while?"

Waiting for a long moment, Petra shook her head, and then dramatically threw her hands in the air, pacing her room in dismay as she shot herself another firm stare through the mirror's reflection, "No no, no! That wouldn't work either! He'd _still_ say no even if I were nice about it!"

Petra had been going through imaginary scenarios for what seemed like hours, though not once had she reached a point where she felt she truly was in fact ready to go and actually talk to the Captain about it. Each time she thought she was ready, an image of Levi glancing up from his desk, quirking an eyebrow and ever so coolly giving a simple "No." - So matter of factly, so certainly, that Petra would get discouraged and start from the top once again.

Her own gaze bored into her reflection, and Petra saw determination evident in her eyes as she thought out loud, "I have to get this right. If I can just present this in a way that works, he won't make it any more difficult than it has to be."

Petra exhaled as she crossed her arms, once again trying to think of the best way to express that it was something he would be doing, whether he liked it or not. Just how had the Captain done it in the past? Whenever he wanted something done, it didn't matter if the order was disliked or not, people followed his orders without question.

Maybe if she approached him in the same manner he used to command others; perhaps that would work?

Petra turned back to the mirror pulled her eyebrows together, fixing her expression as she tried to mimic the serious expressions she had seen Levi use in the past. Petra gave her best scowl as she looked into her reflection, slamming her hands down firmly on the desk before leaning forward towards the mirror menacingly, her voice low and threatening, "Now listen here you little shit, you have only one option and its-"

Petra hung her head as a mirthful smile found its way into her make-believe conversation, unable to keep a straight face through her pitiful attempt at imitating the Captain, "Its… not gonna happen like this."

Looking back into the mirror again, Petra held her head high, suddenly smiling brightly with a cheerfulness that raised her tone, "Oh Captain, goodness, I hadn't noticed you there! Well anyway, I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind joining me for Thanksgiving. No? Well that's fine, thought I'd at least try. See you when we come back!"

Petra groaned and tried again.

"Captain, before I leave on vacation, I just felt like you needed to be aware that I can make a mean stuffing, but my father says that HE can make one even better! The argument between us has gotten so bad that I can hardly stand to face him. If only there was some way that someone could come and sort this mess out!" Petra raised her eyebrows and brought a hand to her mouth, feigning complete surprise, "What's that Captain? You said _you_ would come and be a judge for us? How wonderful! I suppose we will just find a way to make room for you then!"

Petra cleared her throat as she stifled a fit of giggles, pointing dramatically into the mirror as she tried a new approach, "Captain, _you bitter old bat_ , come home for Thanksgiving with me… or else!"

It was at this point that Petra lost all control and fell slightly onto the desk's edge, laughing hysterically as she imagined Levi responding to each of her scenarios, each one worse than the last.

Taking a moment to regain her composure, Petra frowned as she thought over her chances of saying something that would ever win him over. She doubted Levi was the type to be swayed by mere words, so perhaps she was going about this from the wrong angle. Of course she _would_ need to ask him, but attempting to convince him through false cheerfulness or over dramatic demands was a terrible waste of time.

The reason Petra had been trying so hard in the first place was because she knew that even if he was too proud to say yes, it was what he truly wanted. She wasn't asking to one up him, or smirk at how 'pathetic' he was, or whatever lie his mind may have told him – the truth of it was, even though she didn't like him, she did care just enough that it mattered if he was left to spend the holiday alone or not.

Pausing again, Petra blinked as she thought of perhaps somehow putting _that_ into words. If she could just show him that it was genuine sincerity and not any other ulterior motive that lead her to inviting him, then maybe he wouldn't be afraid of saying yes.

Petra looked into the mirror and tried again, "Captain," she began, her tone soft, "By chance… would you want to come home with me for Thanksgiving this year?"

Petra paused as she thought her words over, smirking lightly as she remembered all the frustration that lead to her decision in the first place, certain that however she did ask Levi, it would leave him in a similar confounded state, "Truth be told, its not something I _wanted_ to ask you. You drive me insane and I'd like nothing more than to be free from you for a full week, _a full glorious week,_ but Thanksgiving is a time that should be spent with others and enjoyed with company. We've certainly had our differences, but for something like this? Well… I can swallow my pride if you can."

Petra smiled lightly as she gave a small shrug, finishing quietly, "Now if it's something that you wouldn't mind putting up with, I know at the very least my father would like to see who this Captain is that I so often write about. We can leave later on tonight or in the morning if you have a preference. Just let me know soon so I can get a head start either way."

Petra stared at her reflection for another long moment, reviewing her words once more before standing up fully and moving back toward her collected things, wondering to herself if maybe such a casual yet honest approach would deem sincere enough for him. It was as good an attempt as any at least.

Petra gave a small shrug, deciding that she was done worrying about it. At this point she had quite possibly tried fifty different approaches, and if after all that work if she couldn't find even one of those that she liked, it was pointless to keep pouring time into the task.

Petra moved through her room and grabbed a few shower supplies before slipping down the hall towards the bathroom. With all the free time she had, it seemed only right that she enjoyed a nice long, _hot_ shower while she waited for the rookery to open, and she owed it to herself to at least _try_ and relax through all she had been put through today.

As Petra locked the door behind her and started the water, she began absent mindedly wondering what the trip might have in store for her. For reasons she didn't quite understand, Petra somehow just _knew_ that Levi would accept her offer, so as nervous as she was in bringing it up to him in the first place, she was more so worried about how they would manage to work together for a full week without trying to outright kill each other.

Stepping into the shower, Petra leisurely ran her hands through her hair to help the water set in, giving a slight laugh as she imagined how things might play out. One would _think_ that with them already working together they would have nothing to worry about – if she dealt with Levi on a day to day basis then it wouldn't be all that different while on vacation - however that was far from the truth. While she did _see_ Levi each and every day, that didn't necessarily mean she had to _interact_ with him.

When Petra had first joined the squad all those months back, it quickly became apparent that the two didn't get along for whatever reason. While Petra didn't hold any real animosity toward the Captain even now, just knowing how tersely he treated her, or how he had yet to acknowledge her as a true member of Squad Levi, constantly set her on edge. While both of them could _usually_ get their tasks done without many problems, every once in a while the atmosphere would get so tense that it became unbearable.

It had always been that at those times she could depend on one of her squad mates to either call her out of the room or demand Levi's attention on a certain subject, and the awkwardness would slowly begin to dissipate. They would laugh at her exasperated thank you's, stating that they had all been there, and be patient because Levi would warm up to her in time.

Well.

Almost a year had passed by, and the Captain had yet to not glare at her when she walked into the same room as him - so while yes, she _did_ see Levi, and _yes_ they worked in the same division, the fact remained that she would be at the Captain's mercy for a full week and there would be no Gunther, Eld, or Auruo to come to her rescue.

Starting to lather shampoo into her hair, Petra continued her musings, wondering if perhaps this trip might just finally be the tool that brought their interactions to a less hostile dynamic. Perhaps if they were forced to be in each other's company with no other way to break the tension than by strictly addressing it head on, they would learn to communicate and work out their differences.

So maybe, this would be a good thing?

One could only hope.

Rinsing out the shampoo and finishing her shower soon after, Petra began drying off and mentally gave herself a list of things to do before she left for home.

She had already set out the majority of the things she would need for the trip though had negated fully packing everything away until she took time to sit down and double check her belongings thoroughly. She didn't want to be in a position where she accidently left things behind, considering she wouldn't be able to turn back and get them later.

Aside from that, she still needed to sit down and plan out the best route to get back home.

Of course she knew roughly what roads to travel and how long the journey back home would be, however planning what cities to stop at, if the town was reputable enough for her to stay an evening, only a few hours, or if it was the kind of place that was best to skip all together, were the other sorts of details she hadn't yet ironed out.

Petra moved to the mirror and began brushing her hair, gathering her damp tresses into a high pony tail before dressing and moving out of the bathroom.

Past those smaller details, the only thing she really had left to do was talk to Levi, and while she would be lying if she tried to convince herself that she wasn't nervous, she did know that the only thing keeping her from leaving to go see her Father was just one small conversation with the Captain.

Petra moved back into her room and went to her desk, grabbing the letter and nervously staring at the neatly folded paper with a red wax seal.

It was time.

With a deep collective breath, Petra repositioned the letter in her hand and moved with purpose down the hall, past the commons area and towards the Captain's room. Usually by this time of day he would be stationed in his office or near the training grounds, though considering the fact that all military duties had been canceled today, she doubted she would find him there.

Pausing as she moved down the hall, Petra found herself once again staring up at the Captain's door. While it was just a door – certainly no different from any other door she had seen in her life – had she ever felt such an ominous onslaught of dread and mal-intent, just from a mere door? Certainly not.

Petra nervously pressed her lips together and raised a hand to tap on the surface. A mental image of Levi cracking open the door, already glaring down at her before asking her an acidic 'What.' crossed her mind, and Petra recoiled her hand quickly, frowning slightly.

Maybe it would be best if she did have at least an introduction prepared.

"Captain," she whispered quietly to herself, making sure she didn't completely embarrass herself by allowing Levi to hear her hushed words, "I apologize about this morning; I'm aware it wasn't a convenient time for you. I believe the rookery is open now and I need to send my letter please. After that, I have some important questions I need to ask as well if you've got the time."

Yeah, yeah that was good right?

Petra, trying to give herself even a small shred of courage, nodded at nothing in particular, and again brought her hand up to knock on the door.

Just as she tried to knock on the wooden surface, much to her surprise, the door simultaneously opened - a happening which caused both herself and the Captain who stood on the other side, an electric jolt of surprise as they suddenly appeared in front of each other.

"C-Captain!" Petra stuttered in alarm, still holding her hand in the air awkwardly, looking at the Captain who if only for a moment had looked as equally surprised.

His surprise quickly melted into a glare, and Petra felt her stomach churn. Levi took a collecting breath and opened the door fully, though his glare never once waivered, "I _thought_ you would have been here by now Petra. I was just on my way to get you, seeming as you can't seem to keep track of time."

Petra's breath was still caught in her lungs to such an extent where his words didn't offend her like they normally would. She merely gave a weak nod, holding up her letter, "My… letter." She stammered out breathlessly, watching as Levi stiffened irritably and shook his head.

"Yes." he deadpanned, "You have made it _exceedingly_ clear how important your shitty little letter is. Important things to tell your Father right?"

Petra merely gave a nod as she dropped her hand slowly, watching Levi with uncertainty as she worked on calming down her racing heartbeat.

A moment passed as they merely appraised each other; it was Levi who broke the silence.

"Well shit, do I have to drag your ass there? The rookery is outside so if you want to use it then start moving."

Without another word, the Captain moved down the hall away from Petra, leaving the ginger to blink in confusion before taking a large few steps to catch up and follow after him.

As grouchy as he was being about the whole thing, it did seem that he would in fact help send out her letter, so now that that was all but taken care of, all she had to do was make sure she communicated her thoughts properly and tell the Captain that yes, against all odds, it did matter to her that he not spend the holiday alone.

As they neared the rookery and Levi conversed with the Scout stationed there, Petra began mentally replaying her rehearsed lines in preparation. She had to be direct so he wouldn't think she was joking, but couldn't be too assertive or she would risk the Captain becoming overly defiant and stubborn.

Petra frowned at her thoughts before shaking her head in wonder. _There were just so many ways she could go wrong!_

She ran through her words over and over again, to the point that when Levi asked for her letter and she didn't respond, he snatched it away from her with an aggravated scowl, handing it over to the Scout and signing a few forms before giving her one last glare and moving back towards the compound.

Groaning at her bad luck and wishing she had kept just a bit more alert, she gave her thanks to the rookery worker before chasing after the Captain who was already a considerable distance away.

"Captain, wait up!" Petra called as she half-walked half-ran to meet him, slowing down and falling instep as she came up beside him.

"What."

"Thank you so much, I really appreciate it."

She looked toward Levi, who hadn't spared her a glance and had merely kept his gaze forward.

Petra nervously took a breath, trying to keep her voice from trembling in nervousness, deciding to keep things casual, "So...I plan on going back to my father's place for Thanksgiving. I-It's going to be really nice this time of year."

"Have fun." Levi stated shortly with no conviction, and though it was subtle, Petra was certain the Captain had sped up his pace.

Petra lengthened her stride to keep up with him, "See my father lives in the middle of Wall Rose; it's a bit of a journey, but I'm really looking forward to being there. The town I grew up in is full of friendly people, and we live right near a large forest so there is plenty there to sustain the town."

"Congratulations."

Petra found herself having to speed up even more to the point where it could hardly be considered a gentle stroll, though she pretended not to notice, "Well the _really_ great thing is how bountiful Thanksgiving is there. People make sure to stock all sorts of various things for cooking, and so my father and I always tried hard each year to have a delicious meal."

"Again, congratulations."

It was at this time that they had entered fully back into the compound, and were moving quickly towards Levi's room. Knowing that her time was running short, Petra continued her attempts, hoping to somehow transition the conversation and invite him out to her home.

"It's something I look forward to, and it's just so wonderful that we all have so much sudden free time right? I think this year I will try to-"

Levi stropped in his tracks and crossed his arms, looking down at Petra with a serious expression, "Alright Petra, _what_?"

Petra tried to give a look of complete surprise, to which Levi merely crossed his arms tersely, "You've been talking my ear off, and considering the fact that everyone is busy today, I suspect you have a reason for following me from place to place? If you have something to say then fucking spit it out, if not then _go away_."

Petra felt very small under Levi's perceptive gaze, and she gave a small sigh and nodded, looking down at the ground in contemplation. The moment had finally come, and she couldn't squander it.

She took a deep breath and looked up at the Captain, her eye contact direct and purposeful. Her voice was even and composed, "You're right Captain," she stated simply, "I've practiced this explanation over and over. I've thought of different ways of approaching you, practiced how I might converse with you about it, but in the end, I'd rather just be open and honest with you so here it is."

Petra took a deep breath and looked squarely at the Captain, " _I make really good stuffing!_ "

Petra felt her eyes widen as her blood ran cold, a sense of horror washing over her.

 _…Stuffing?_

She watched as Levi cocked his head just slightly and gave her a perplexed expression, causing Petra to shake her head and try to recover the situation, "Wait! No, that's not right!"

She tried not to let Levi's unnerving stare intimidate her and she tried again, pulling her brows down and leaning forward, "What I'm trying to say, _you little shit_ , is that for Than-"

Levi's eyes went wide and he blinked a few times at not only her choice of words, but at her sudden change in demeanor, jolting slightly as Petra gave a slight screech of dismay and brought her hands to her face as she began to glow red, "That's not what I meant either! Forget I said that Captain, I'm so sorry!"

It was at this time Levi seemingly had enough, because he pressed his lips together and scowled slightly, quirking an eyebrow as Petra began sputtering broken words and random syllables in attempt to explain herself.

"Petra." Levi stated firmly as he cut her off completely, "This is pathetic. Just say whatever the hell it is that you are trying to say and stop wasting my time."

Petra nervously bit her bottom lip, looking down into the ground in dismay. Her voice was soft and timid, and she shuffled her feet slightly beneath her, wishing that this awful interaction would just come to an end. After all that practice and mental preparation, could she have possibly botched it up any more?

"Well Captain I was just wondering," she began in a low whisper, "maybe if it's not too much trouble – I mean, perhaps you already have plans but… Well, it's just that there's so much room and-"

"For fuck's sake Petra, look me in the eye and stop mumbling!"

Flinching, Petra redirected her eye contact and before she made things any worse, looked up at Levi with wide eyes, forcing the words from her mouth just as quickly as she could, "DoyouwanttocomebackwithmeforThanksgivingplease?"

Petra watched Levi for a reaction, and it took him a moment to put her words together. Once he did, he lifted his head slightly as though observing her more thoroughly, again quirking a single thin eyebrow.

"Thanksgiving, huh? With you and your father?"

Petra swallowed thickly, "Uh, yes sir."

She watched him hopefully for any sort of reaction, trying to gauge if he was for or against the idea, however as usual, his expression gave little away. He merely watched her in silence for a long, long moment before taking a breath and narrowing his eyes in contemplation.

"You have invited the rest of the Squad to join your family as well then I presume?"

Petra gave a small shake of her head, her voice growing even more quiet, "Well no Captain, I mean, they have _families_ to visit."

"I see." Levi stated quickly – too quickly to be casual, and Petra cursed herself for saying such a thing.

"Well not to say that _you_ don't have important things to do on Thanksgiving Captain!" Petra gave a nervous laugh, "I mean I'm sure you're busy, and I'm sure the last thing you'd really want to do is deal with me for Thanksgiving, but I'll warn you I've thought this through and no matter how hard you fight against it I've already told my father you'd be there and so help me-"

"Save your breath, I'll go."

"Ah ha!" Petra stated quickly, all but cutting Levi off as she pointed at him, "I thought you'd say that, but I'll have you know that I'm not taking- wait, what did you say?"

Levi gave a huff of indifference, turning towards his room and beginning to walk down the hallway once again, "You have a really hard time listening today, don't you?"

Petra chased after him, eyes wide, "But I, you, I've… that's it? I was certain you'd be so offended and deny it over and over again – I was prepared to explain everything so well!"

"Clearly." Levi scoffed as he walked into his doorway, turning toward her as he propped himself slightly against the frame, "I probably _would_ have declined, but I heard you rehearsing earlier in your quarters so saying yes and shutting you up sure as hell beats having to sit through the other fifty different approaches you came up with, that's for damn sure."

Petra could have sworn in that moment her heart had stopped beating. She had felt embarrassed before, but now she was utterly mortified.

"You… heard… me?" Petra asked carefully, praying that somehow she had simply heard him wrong. There was no way he had heard her before, right?

Now she knew the Captain wasn't one that was known for having a sense of humor but still… he _was_ kidding, wasn't he?

As if answering her thoughts, Levi explained, "I had business with Eld before he left and you had your door open; it was hard _not_ to hear you." he shook his head for a moment and stared at Petra in offense, "And what sort of shitty impression of me was that anyway?"

As Petra stood gaping in horror, Levi shrugged without taking real notice of her reaction, not seeming to care one way or another. "Well anyway, I have to pack. Let's meet around two o'clock by the stable. You should be ready by then right? I'll see you then I guess."

At that, Levi closed the door and Petra finally found her voice after getting through the initial shock of it all. See you then? That was all? No! Not after what he had just told her – there was no way she was leaving!

Her eyes were wide as Levi fully closed the door, and it was only too late that she was able to put words to her thoughts.

"Captain, Captain wait – how much did you hear?"

Petra waited for a few moments, though the Captain may as well have been somewhere else entirely because the area was completely silent.

Petra pressed her lips together, certain that this day had been one of the most mortifying experiences of her life. She had decided out of the kindness of her _soul_ to invite the Captain, though because he was so intimidating, she made sure to practice before she approached him. Well not only had she completely destroyed her communication attempts when the moment finally came, Levi had apparently heard her talking to herself, _like an insane person_ , about how he would join her for Thanksgiving!

…Perhaps he just _walked_ by her doorway and overheard bits and pieces, maybe that was what he meant? That wouldn't be so bad. But what if it was worse - what if he had sat there in her doorway for a considerable amount of time, listening in silence as she unknowingly humiliated herself right in front of the Captain?

Raising her hand, she used the side of her fist to pound slightly on the door, slapping the surface once or twice for good measure.

"Seriously Captain, how much did you hear back there?"

"Go _away_ Petra."

"Captain!" she wailed again, though the unmistakable sound of the lock clicking into place grabbed her attention. She could merely gape in shock.

It took a moment to regain her composure, but she turned up her nose and shrugged defiantly, "Fine then, I see how it is," she pressed out thinly, "I'll see you at two. So… so don't be late!"

Petra waited for a moment longer, hoping just maybe the Captain would have some little tidbit or explanation to give her, however as another long silence filled the room, Petra glared narrowly at the door. "…Jerk."

Somehow, she just knew that Levi was standing right on the other side of the door, smirking.

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That's the end of Chapter Two!

Sorry this chapter is a little bit shorter than usual, but it seemed the perfect stopping point so I didn't feel like writing out a scene or two and then just awkwardly cutting it off. As for when I plan up updating again, I'm hoping in about 2 -3 weeks? That's about how long it took me to get this chapter ready, so while sadly it is looking like this story may not exactly be finished before Christmas (which is a huge bummer) my goal is to keep to a consistent pace till its done.

I had been /considering/ making not per say an after Wall's Day piece that focused on the New Year – that would turn this series into a Trilogy! – but if I try to split my attentions between this piece, and another full out one or two shot for New Years, I don't think I'd do either very well and that would be such a waste.

Anyhow, considering the next update will be in December, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with loved ones. Stay safe out there and happy holidays! Thanks for the support and see ya next time!

~Midnight


	3. Chapter 3

Midnight here!

Welcome back and happy holidays! We made it to December guys!

I'll keep this note short up here, because I've more than made up with it with my long A/N at the bottom.

Enjoy the chapter!

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Petra pulled out her map again, sitting down on her travel bag as she unfolded the large paper, laying it down across the ground and reviewing the twisted lines across the page. Tapping her finger down to the corresponding city they were based at, Petra followed the road they would take, trailing her finger down the path and tapping on a small dot – a city that was just a short few miles away from here.

"There." Petra whispered to herself, "We'll have to start there to get some horses, and then we'll follow the main road," she continued whispering to herself in thought, "until we get to Wall Rose, and once we get inside we can stop for the evening. From _there,"_ she moved her finger across the wrinkled page as she marked out the path, "We head east, cut through the forest, and it's a straight shot home. Easy peasy."

Petra folded the paper up again, putting it beside her on one of the stable rails and looking down the path as she waited for the Captain to join her.

She had made sure that all her loose ends were tied up a full thirty minutes before she was scheduled to meet, that way she was certain to beat Levi to the stable. She didn't want to start the journey off on the wrong foot, and if she knew anything about Captain Levi, it was that he valued timeliness almost as much as he valued cleanliness.

Petra tried not to grimace at the thought, sending a silent prayer to the heavens that her father would indeed heed her advice and clean the house before they arrived. It's not that she thought her house was dirty or unfit to be seen by strangers; however Levi's standard of clean, and a normal person's standard, were two _vastly_ different standards.

She wasn't sure how Levi would handle being in a house he considered unclean, and not being in a position where he could order her to clean it, she feared he would snap. She would _rather_ Levi tell her to clean it than risk making him uncomfortable or angry with the circumstance, but she was certain that her father would have something to say if Levi's first impulse after entering their home was to immediately bark orders at her.

Petra shrugged as she thought over the upcoming events, not sure what to make of the entire circumstance now that it was finally here.

How would all this work anyway?

While it was time off and they didn't necessarily have to follow the traditional military protocol, the problem was Petra didn't _know_ the Captain outside of the military setting, so she didn't know how to treat him casually. In her eyes, he was _Captain_ Levi Ackerman. While she mentally understood that he was a normal, average person just like anyone else out there, Levi certainly didn't share any of those moments with her.

To date, she could not remember a time where they had even one conversation just because, or to simply be social. Their interactions had been bound to duty or small statements where his words were short and to the point - her responses more often than not were a simple, 'Yes sir' or 'Right away Captain'

Redirecting her attention as a bout of movement caught her eye, Petra looked down the path, seeing the Captain leave the compound and head towards the stable. Adjusting herself slightly, Petra leaned against the stable wall, hoping she appeared casual - but not too casual of course.

"Hello Captain." Petra greeted as he neared her, though he merely gave a glance to the side as he set his bags down, crossing his arms and watching her evenly.

"So where are we going exactly?"

"To my father's house…"

"I know that." Levi cut in shortly, looking less than amused, "I meant _where_."

Petra gave a nervous laugh, "Oh right, of course. Well, do you know the forest district in Wall Rose? My hometown is around there, probably about, I'd say sixty or so miles east of the Wall's entrance?"

Levi gave a slight nod, "Vague, but I know roughly where you're talking about."

"Well I've routed our path out if it helps," Petra grabbed the map and began to unfold it once more as she pressed it up against the stable wall, using her forearm to keep it in place, "We're stationed here now," she began, trying to not to get nervous when she felt the Captain standing close behind her, "So… so I was thinking we walk over to the town just a few miles south of here. It's a bit out of the way but there's a ranch there so we could-"

"Wait, what? What do you need at the ranch?"

Petra had planned on turning around to explain her reasons, but turning her head just slightly and seeing the Captain mere inches from her face, Petra whipped her head back around, cursing herself as she felt her face go red, "I was planning on renting a horse from them, Captain. Our journey will at least double if not triple in time if we go on foot, so I had presumed we'd use horses to get there."

From the corner of her eye, she could see Levi cross his arms again, leaning back away from her and quirking an eyebrow, "Is something wrong with the horses we have here? There's a reason I said to meet at the stable."

Not as intimidated now that a comfortable distance had been restored between them, Petra turned around, her brows pulled down in confusion as she nodded forward slowly, "Well I mean, sure, but you said that the military wasn't issuing the use of their resources after today, so I presumed the horses were to be left here."

Levi rolled his eyes, "As if _anyone_ will be counting the horses while we're gone. Besides, my horse does not need to be locked in the stable for a week. The damned thing would purposely overeat and take its sweet ass time from then on. I'd die at the next expedition for sure cause he'd be too fat to run."

Petra blinked at his response, still not quite able to believe what she was hearing, "So we just... break the rules then?"

Levi gave her an incredulous look, "Don't tell me you're such a goody two shoes that you can't even make use of your own horse without crying ' _Is this really necessary Captain?'_ " By the end his voice was higher, clearly mocking her as he shot her a pointed glare.

Petra held her hands up defensively, "I never said anything like that! I'm just saying is all. I mean, with how um… harsh… you are with orders and such, I'm somewhat surprised to hear you're okay with blatant insubordination."

The Captain's eyes widened, "Insubor-" he gave a huff and shook his head towards the heavens, waving his hand in clear irritation, "Fine, fine. If the idea offends you so much then _whatever_ , we can walk our asses the extra three miles and use someone else's horses while ours sit here uselessly, eating themselves into a coma. That makes sense." Levi scoffed, mumbling under his breath, "Insubordination…"

Petra brought a hand to her forehead, trying to find her words because she clearly wasn't explaining herself well, not with that sort of reaction anyways, "Now it's not that I don't want to Captain, I mean, I _prefer_ my horse its just-"

"Good, it's settled then." Levi cut in promptly, his voice holding a note of finality, "Where do we start, considering we can both agree that the ranch is an _unnecessary_ waste of time?"

Petra opened her mouth to clarify, though noting that Levi was now focused on the map again, gaze narrowed as he scanned the roads pensively, Petra gave a sigh and pressed her lips together, "Very well then Captain."

With a collecting breath, Petra adjusted the map across the wall again, pointing to their corresponding position, "Alright so if we start _here_ instead," She heard an approving 'Hn' from Levi and she gave him a pointed look, though he hardly took notice. Petra continued, "We'd still want to follow the main road for a while; looks like all the way to Wall Rose. Once we're there I think it best we stop at an inn for the night cause it's going to take all day to get there."

Petra moved her head back and forth as though mentally weighing their options further, "In the morning I was _planning_ on making the rest of the journey in one go, aside from a stop here or there to get food and the like. We'd have to travel on this off road for just a few miles north," Petra pointed at the city again, showing where the roads split into different directions, "but after that it's a straight shot east. I was thinking that where the path curves here around the forest, we could just cut straight through like this," she explained as she ran her finger across the wrinkled page, "We'd cut off twenty or so miles and should save a few hours at least. With any luck, we'd get there late Tuesday night. What do you think?"

The Captain leaned forward again, looking at the map closely then down at Petra suspiciously, "It's been a while since you've been back home; you confident you can navigate through the forest still? A miserable week of getting lost in the shitty forest is not exactly my definition of fun."

Petra gave a small chuckle, folding the map and giving a small grin at the Captain's lack of faith, "Doubt my memory Captain, but I could navigate that forest in my sleep if I had to. It's been a bit sure, but the forest hasn't changed _that_ much. Besides, if we get there and I don't feel one hundred percent confident, we'll take the long way around, kay?"

The Captain appraised her quietly, waiting a few moments before he dropped his arms, grabbing his bags with a nod of finality, "Fine by me."

"Alright then." Petra stated triumphantly with a light grin, following suit and grabbing her bags, silently trailing behind him.

As they moved into the stable, Petra stole uncertain glances at the Captain as she slowly began saddling her horse and adjusting the belts of her saddle. She had to remind herself to focus as she tied her bag down. As horrified as she was about _stealing_ her horse from the military, Petra didn't want to make things worse by losing her bags halfway through the trip, military issued horse or otherwise.

Looking over toward the Captain, Petra couldn't help it when her brows furrowed in contemplation, half heartedly checking her knots as she watched Levi put the bit around his horse's mouth, lightly adjusting the reins and patting his horse gently, pausing a moment before setting to work on the saddle.

"Something you need Petra?" Levi stated evenly, his attention not moving from his current task as he grabbed a rope around his traveling gear, forming a knot and pulling it once or twice and setting the bag behind his saddle.

Petra bit her lower lip, running her hand down the neck of her horse and petting her absentmindedly, "Are you sure this is okay Captain?"

Levi grabbed his other bag, pulling the rope taut against it and tying it down firmly, "You don't have to ride there. Go on and walk your ass the whole way for all I care." Levi paused as he placed the extra rope down, cocking his head slightly as his gaze moved slowly toward her, "Or is it that you're questioning my authority, Petra?"

Petra's attention snapped fully onto Levi, her eyes wide at the insinuation, "What? Captain did you _really_ just…"

Levi merely quirked an eyebrow at her response, silently daring her to challenge him further. _As if she ever would?_ Petra gaped and for a moment she had a hard time trying to respond, not quite believing that Levi was choosing now of all times to dangle his position above her head.

Couldn't he understand where she was coming from?

It wasn't that she was trying to be difficult; it was just that they were blatantly ignoring orders! There was no reason they had to go against the government's decision, not when there was a ranch just an hour away. It simply wasn't worth the risk!

Petra put a hand on her hip and tried to bring an authoritative tone to her voice, hoping to talk sense into her stubborn commanding officer, "You're being ridiculous Captain!"

Levi rolled his eyes, moving his attention away from her and back to his horse, adjusting the saddle once again and scoffing, "Lay off. Stop your bitching and get on the horse already."

 _Lay off? Bitching?_ Petra set her jaw, her voice laced in irritation as she responded, "Why does this even matter to you so much?"

"Why does it matter to you?" Levi retorted hotly, again leaving Petra speechless.

Levi looked up at his horse, rubbing its muzzle before propping himself upward, shifting his weight onto the saddle and looking back toward Petra evenly after having properly adjusted himself.

"I like my horse." came his simple reply, and with a light flick of the reins, Levi maneuvered out of the stall and left the stable.

Petra gave a long sigh, flinching when she heard an authoritative, 'Hurry up and get a move on Petra.' echo into the stable.

She rolled her eyes as she patted her horse, her voice lacking any real enthusiasm, "I'm comin…"

"Now!"

Looking toward the entrance, Petra clicked her tongue and suppressed the urge to give him a few four letter words of her own. Putting her leg into the stirrup as she rolled her eyes, Petra swung her leg over and adjusted herself, leaning over her horse and whispering conspicuously, "How do you like that? Now _both_ of us have to deal with the Captain all week. Won't _that_ be fun."

As if understanding perfectly, her horse shook her head back and forth, causing Petra to smirk and pat her horse in approval, kicking in her feet and gently leading them out of the stable to join the impatient Captain.

"My thoughts _exactly_."

Moving over toward Levi, Peta pulled back the reins lightly, coming to a halt beside the Captain, "Happy now?"

Her question was merely met with an unamused stare, and Petra looked away from the Captain, glaring forward in annoyance, once again reminding herself that she never had to invite him in the first place.

Curse her bleeding heart.

"Let's go." Levi stated lowly, flicking the reins and moving ahead at a light trot.

Petra shook her head in irritation, mumbling a curse to herself as she followed suit.

So it began.

For a long while, things remained impossibly silent.

At first, it was silent because Levi was not one to speak conversationally, and what was more, Petra was still angry with him.

She didn't like that he was so stubborn as to needlessly break the rules and all but force her to follow along, and while she doubted he was even noticing the angry aura that surrounded her, she somehow wanted to send the message that she was in fact deeply displeased at him.

A few times amidst her thoughts, she would steal a glance towards the Captain, just to see if he was looking at her nervously, or waiting for an opportunity to strike up a conversation and apologize, but each time she did, he merely looked bored as ever, watching the path ahead with disinterest.

This of course would only make her madder.

It had been almost four hours since they had left the stable and not a single word had been said between them. Now granted it wasn't like they often made a habit of talking throughout the day, but certainly he knew that she was someone who conversed with people, instead of blatantly ignoring them, as seemed to be the case with Levi?

 _Of course_ he wouldn't notice she was angry - and even _if_ he had, she doubted Levi really even cared if she was mad at him or not. If anything, he was probably _enjoying_ the fact that he had made her so angry for so long.

What if he was being like this just to spite her somehow?

Turning her head slightly, Petra spied on the Captain through narrowed eyes, imagining him sitting there smugly, inwardly enjoying the fact he was making her further displeased by just sitting there and ignoring her all together.

Petra pressed her lips together as she turned her attention back onto the path bitterly, deciding she wouldn't give him that satisfaction. She too could sit there sternly, pretending like she didn't care.

If Levi could do it, then so could she.

Holding her head up high, Petra fixed her expression, trying her best to at least appear to be completely neutral, or even bored about the experience. Perhaps that would irritate Levi into speaking up, or trying to best understand why she simply didn't care anymore.

After a long while passed and still not a word from the Captain, Petra loudly sighed, looking toward Levi venomously as the last of her patience finally had come to an end, "You're impossible!" she declared firmly, glaring at him while waiting for a response.

She watched Levi's brows pull down as he blinked slightly in surprise, then slowly turn his head toward Petra with an annoyed expression across his face, "What now?"

"What now?" Petra repeated angrily, "What do you mean what now? I wasn't finished to begin with so don't pretend that you don't know!"

Levi gave her a blank stare as a response, and Petra's mouth fell open, "The horses! Stealing the horses, Captain!" Petra shouted hotly, and Levi merely rolled his eyes as he returned his attentions back to the path.

Petra continued, his reaction only fueling her rant, "I still can't believe you even _suggested_ it, let alone demanded we actually do it! You know there's going to be hell to pay when we get back right?"

Levi glared ahead, speaking to her even though his attention was still held forward, "That was hours ago; don't you have anything better to do?"

Petra looked forward incredulously, then back at Levi, "Like what, dare I ask? There's nothing out here but fields and shrubs and nothingness as far as the eye can see. The only thing that keeps my focus is wondering what in the world we're going to tell Erwin when he asks about it, because by heaven you know he will."

Levi continued looking ahead, his previous glare falling away and replaced with his usual blank expression, "Erwin won't care."

Petra paused before spitting back haughtily, "Well. That's good, because _when_ he asks, I'm telling him it was all you."

Levi gave a shrug of indifference, "Fine by me."

Petra shook her head in shock, having believed that would at least elicit _some_ form of reaction from him, "...That's it? You don't even care? You _don't_ care that Erwin is going to demand an explanation, and you'll be on the front line?"

Levi gave no notable response, leaving Petra unsatisfied with his response and frustrated with the entire circumstance all together. She gave a long sigh, opening her mouth to say something, though after seeing Levi still unaffected to the point where she may as well have said nothing to start with; Petra closed her mouth slowly, looking downward in contemplation.

She really was wasting her time.

Who was she kidding? Even during drills or conditioning, Levi wouldn't give her the time of day so why did she think he would now? As if this had made things _any_ different?

While she couldn't bring herself to regret inviting him – personal feelings aside, it _was_ the right thing to do – what had she been expecting? Did she really think that spending time with the Captain on a more individual setting would make things change? Did she truly believe that him being in her home would help him see the light that he'd magically just open up and they'd talk for hours like she did with her squad mates?

Could she really see the Captain sitting there at the dinner table, a smile on his face as he asked if she wanted more turkey, before passing the plate her direction?

Petra tried not to sigh, feeling foolish for even have imagined such things. She had known better, and she didn't expect to see any _real_ change but…

…Well, she had hoped.

Petra furrowed her eyebrows, "…Do you hate me Captain?"

The question came out of nowhere, even surprising Petra herself when she had asked it, though as the question hung in the air, Petra looked toward him cautiously, daring to hope that he might just give her an incredulous stare of shock, something to negate the question, or at the very least invalidate it.

She wasn't one to fish for compliments, but she had to know. It didn't even have to be major - he could scoff and say, 'Don't be ridiculous.' or merely stare at her in wonder, silently inquiring, 'Where did you get such an idea' and he would glare at her narrowly before turning his attention elsewhere, shaking his head at her audacity to ask such a thing.

Even the tiniest of responses would do.

Petra waited.

As a thick silence began to form, only the mere sound of the horse's light trot against the ground could be heard, Petra knew she had waited in vain.

She hung her head, "I see."

The answer, or lack thereof, didn't surprise her, but it did surprise her how much it hurt.

She really was foolish sometimes.

Petra's voice was lower, just above a mumble, but her tone rang of grave seriousness, "Well, we've got to try and work together, you know? It's a long trip, and it's going to be followed by a long week, followed by an even _longer_ career."

The Captain looked around the forest, peering off into the distance, his response clipped short as his attentions were seemingly pulled elsewhere, "What's your point?"

Petra gave a shake of her head, wondering if he was purposely making a show of ignoring her now, just to add insult to injury. She tried not to let it get to her, responding as neutrally as she could while still having a note of sincerity in her words, "My point, Captain, is that we are going to have to learn how to not be at each other's throats all the time. We're going to be seeing an awful lot of each other, so let's try and play nicely so we aren't needlessly miserable - at least for Thanksgiving, if nothing else."

Levi gave a sideways glance to Petra, quirking an eyebrow, "Thanksgiving? I could always leave and go somewhere else if I wanted; I don't have to be here."

His words didn't surprise Petra, and she found a light smirk at her lips, a crooked line tainted by the overwhelming feeling of sadness his previous silence brought her, "True."

His statement was a true one, though it was an empty threat; a statement he added in to remind her that even though it was her family, and her home, he was still the one in control of the circumstance. Put simply, he didn't want to make himself vulnerable to her and admit that he was greatful to her.

She paused, her smirk turned into a faint smile of sorts, "But you won't." Petra shrugged gently, "If anything Captain, you are proud."

Levi's attention turned fully onto her, his gaze darker as her words finally seemed to wake something within him, "You don't think I would?"

Petra tried to fix her expression so it didn't appear she was gaining amusement at his expense. She wasn't trying to make fun of him, but for as little as she knew about him, even she knew better than that. She knew that Levi didn't want to spend the week with nothing but solitude to greet him, and his denying of the obvious was somewhat entertaining.

Petra looked over her shoulder, finding she just didn't have it in her to make direct eye contact yet, "Just admit it Captain," her voice was tired, "You'd rather put up with me and celebrate the holiday then be in a quiet, lonely hotel room for a full week by yourself."

"Don't flatter yourself." Levi gave a huff as he observed her further, sparing her only a small disapproving glance before turning his attentions back to the road, "I merely prefer to save what little the government gives me verses spending it all on some shitty-ass hotel room."

Petra tried not to laugh at his response, knowing she was already walking a fine line on his patience. She didn't want to press him too far, considering that she didn't know him all _that_ well, but still. At least he was _talking_ to her now.

"It's not a _bad_ thing Captain, geez. Preferring to be with people isn't a crime." Petra paused, her voice having a trace undertone of amusement now, "Are you worried that people will be less intimidated by you if they found out you actually have a sensitive side?" She gave a smile, the smallest of chuckles escaping her lips "Don't worry Captain, your secret is safe with me. Scout's honor!"

Levi pulled his reins back, his horse coming to a prompt halt, and he gave her a long stare.

Petra blinked in surprise, pulling back her reins as well, petting her horse gently at the sudden change in motion. She watched Levi swing down and off his horse, and she wondered if her last comment had crossed the line. She always did have a bad habit of pushing people too far.

Though her words sounded fairly innocent in her mind, perhaps she really had overstepped her bounds. Even still…

Did he really plan on just walking away? …Without his horse?

 _What in Maria's name would she do with two horses?_

"Captain I um… where are you going?"

He couldn't be serious. If anyone should be mad, Petra felt she would be at the top of the list considering everything he said – or hadn't said was more accurate, but again this Levi, confusing as ever.

Levi continued walking, speaking up so his voice would be heard as he plowed into the forest, "To take a piss. That a problem with you?"

Petra ground her teeth at his quipped words, her eyes narrowing at his spiteful tone.

Choosing not to respond as she watched Levi disappear further into the woods, Petra rubbed her temple for a moment then hopped her off her horse as well, grabbing the reins of the two horses and tying them to a tree before heading off into the forest in the opposite direction.

While it was disheartening that he snapped at her again for something as simple as a question, she was grateful Levi had always held that crassness to him, because having to admit she had needed to stop would be mortifying for her. In truth, she had needed to go for the past few hours but didn't want to be the one to say anything – plus there's the fact she had been so busy being angry she hadn't dwelled too much on it.

Scampering off into the woods, Petra tried to hurry so as to not keep the Captain waiting, absentmindedly wishing there was a stream or something nearby so she could refill her water canteen, knowing she would need to use the last of her water to wash her hands. She knew there was a river _somewhere_ around here; however it had been a long time since the Scouts had needed to be close to the border of Wall Rose, so she didn't know this area that well anymore.

After a few minutes of mindlessly wandering around and not hearing the slightest trickle of water, Petra gave a disappointed sigh, pouring out her water and scrubbing her hands before moving back toward her horse; empty canteen bouncing against her leg as she walked.

Levi was already there, though it didn't seem he was upset at having to wait as he was busying himself with looking at the map. As Petra neared their makeshift stopping point, Levi's eyes fell on her canteen for an extended moment.

He folded the map and looked at Petra squarely, "You too, eh?"

Petra set her canteen back into her backpack, "Yep. I was so sure there was a stream or something out here. I don't know exactly where we are, but if we've been on the road for four hours or so now, I've at least got a rough idea. As for myself, I am thirsty but I can keep going strong until we get to the wall if I have to. However, I'd at least like to get _her_ some water before then."

Petra gently brushed her horse's mane, smiling warmly before turning her attention back to the Captain, who had moved to untie the reins from around the tree.

Levi handed her set of reins over, putting his leg into the stirrup and adjusting back onto the saddle, "I agree. They are both due for a rest, but a 'rough idea' isn't good enough. With neither of us knowing the area well, we'll just have to wait until we hit a town or reach the wall."

"So we're off again?"

Levi waited until Petra had gotten back onto her saddle, giving a nod and looking ahead, "Yeah, let's get it over with."

They set out again, and while Petra had wished they would spend the rest of the journey talking or have something to laugh about, she supposed she should be happy with the fact that at least Levi wasn't glaring at her or saying rude things again.

Every few hours or so, Petra would try something small just to open the door to conversation – safe topics that wouldn't encourage strife, but Levi wouldn't have it.

She had started with something light and vague, a simple "Do you have anything you're looking forward to do for Thanksgiving?" - To which he had hardly waited for her to finish speaking before giving a dry, "No."

A few hours later after sheer boredom got the best of her, Petra tried again. She knew it was foolhardy, but she was just so _bored_! They had been traveling for close to seven or eight hours and the vast majority of it had been spent in earth shattering silence.

She had hoped that if she brought up something they had both had in common, it would be a safe and engaging conversation starter. Her attempt had been something along the lines of, "Wow Captain, look! I can see the Wall! It looks so tiny from back here, huh?"

For _that_ attempt, the Captain gave a mix between a huff and a snort - something Petra wasn't sure what to make of it, so she decided it was best to stay quiet just in case the response had in fact been a negative one.

Her last attempt had come a long while later after that, when she miserably resorted to the most pathetic, go-to conversation when there was absolutely nothing left to talk about.

The weather.

She hoped she didn't sound as pathetic as she felt, "Say Captain… hasn't it turned into such a lovely evening? With the crisp clean air and the beautiful sunset, it's perfect for traveling, d-don't you think?"

When Levi merely looked slowly to the side, giving her an incredulous look before scoffing, shaking his head once or twice for good measure before returning back to the road, Petra gave up.

She had stayed perfectly silent until they reached the Wall's Gate almost two hours later.

Getting through the Wall had been irritating enough as it wasn't often people had clearance to move freely from one Wall's district to another – even after showing their military ID's they still had to wait while their information was verified.

Once they got inside, their first priority had been to find a stable and make sure their horses would be properly cared for and kept in a safe environment.

After that, Levi had turned to Petra, crossing his arms after having adjusted his bags across his back in a comfortable manner, "Alright, so where do you want to stay for the night?"

Sighing, Petra looked around, "Well, that's the hard part. My map as you know isn't detailed in that sort of thing, so I don't know this city well. In truth I don't even know if I've been through this city before. Want to just walk around until we find a place?"

Levi shrugged, "Sure."

As they walked, Petra saw a hotel – or something that she _suspected_ that was a hotel. The building was old and had broken hanging shutters. Even though it was well past sunset, Petra could still see lines of set- in dirt between the old panels. Regardless the building's rundown state, light was still spilling out from the doorway.

It was amazing such a place was still functional.

Frowning in distaste, Petra was about to make a comment when Levi seemingly caught her gaze, "We are _not_ staying there Petra."

Glaring to the side where the Captain was still watching her testily, Petra exhaled, "…That's not what I was going to say Captain."

Continuing to walk down the path, looking at the various buildings for a suitable place, Petra paused in step, frowning in dismay as something occurred to her, "Captain…" her voice was quiet as she tried to best guard her tone from the apprehension she was feeling, "You're not going to be impossibly picky with the inn right? This is a small town so our options may be sort of… limited."

Levi paused in step and turned back toward her, silently inquiring as to what she was getting at.

Petra continued, "It's just, I don't think I've met another person who's as picky as you are about these sort of things."

Levi gave a 'tch' and continued, "It's not being picky, it's having basic standards. If I'm going to pay money to stay at a place, then it needs to at least be presentable."

Petra's eyes narrowed in dismay, a feeling of dread washing over her. She had heard Levi use the word 'presentable' in terms of cleaning in the past, and if _that_ was the standard he was looking for, this was going to be a long, _long_ night.

"Let's look over there." Levi pointed, and Petra merely nodded, already resigned to her miserable fate.

The first three hotels they passed, the Captain gave a narrow once over, saying something along the lines of 'No way in hell am I sleeping in that shithole."

Again, Petra would merely nod mutely, and they'd start down the road again.

At the fourth hotel, the Captain had stood outside the door for a good ten minutes, looking it over from this way and that, then finally walking away without a word.

Petra didn't even bother asking what was wrong with it, merely sighed before following after him, wondering just how much more she could take before collapsing from exhaustion.

Perhaps it would be better if they got back on the horses and kept going until they both just… passed out from exhaustion or something. Maybe if she told Levi she heard of a really nice place only a few miles away, but they'd have to ride there to make it before they closed, by the time he figured it out, he'd just agree it was best to just keep going. They'd pass out sooner or later right?

Before she could think of a way to initiate her plan, the Captain had already managed to get a good distance away, and Petra pumped her tired legs to catch up with him, hoping this miserable trip around the town would come to an end soon.

The next inn they came to, Petra sincerely hoped would be the last. The building was simple, had maybe eight or nine rooms at best, though it seemed to be well maintained so that was a good start.

The Captain seemed to take notice of this, considering he actually stopped walking to look the place over. After standing at the entrance for a long while, he gave a small nod and moved into the lobby.

"Thank Maria…" Petra mumbled, happy that Levi finally, finally, _finally_ had made a decision.

Or, so she thought.

He had made it all the way to the desk and even got greeted by the desk clerk when he suddenly glared at the young girl who was working there, turned on his heel and made a beeline for the door, muttering profanities the whole way.

Petra threw her head back and gave a long sigh as Levi marched past her, looking at the rightfully confused desk clerk – a young girl no older than fifteen. Petra shook her head in irritation, giving a sympathetic glance to the young girl.

"Sorry, he's deranged." she explained lightly, blinking a few times in exhaustion. Petra gave a small nod, "Have a good night."

Waving politely as she moved back toward the door, Petra took a deep breath and returned to the Captain.

Storming up to him, Petra shook her head, unable to mask the lingering irritation in her voice, "Dare I ask what was so wrong with that place? That poor girl was terrified."

"She had dirty fingernails."

Petra stared at him in wonder.

"Captain." Petra began, her voice dangerously quiet as she looked around at the road and various buildings in dismay, "I'm _tired_. It is close to midnight at this point, we've been traveling all day, my bags are starting to get really heavy-"

"Well you probably shouldn't have packed so mu-"

" _And_ ," Petra continued, cutting off the Captain with an icy glare, "All do respect, but I've had to put up with you and your bad attitude all day! So help me, either find a place that you can put up with, or we're sleeping in the _dirt_!"

Levi visibly stiffened and proceeded to look around, his expression the very personification of stubbornness, "…This town is filthy."

Petra set her jaw.

If that was how he was going to be, then so be it.

She put her hands on her hips, "You know what? Do what you want Captain; I'm sleeping _here_. The building is in good condition, the lobby is well lit and organized, and aside from all that, in a short while most of the inns won't even be open anymore. Dirty fingernails or not, at least this place has a _bed_ to sleep on - which is more than _you'll_ have at this rate."

Turning back toward the hotel, Petra waved a hand over her shoulder as she moved down the walkway, "Tick tock Captain. If you can't find a place to stay remember there's always the stable. I'll meet you around here at eight thirty. Good luck and _good night_!"

Not even sparing a second glance Petra moved back into the inn, trying her best to give a warm smile to the girl who all but jumped when the door opened, seemingly even more confused than before.

"Can I help you ma'am? I'm sorry for whatever displeased your husband previously; I'm not sure what may have happened but if-"

As Petra approached the counter, she shook her head at the young girl's words, "Trust me it's not you. He's like that to everyone. He is just so impossibly picky and always in a bad mood and is just… impossible. It's a wonder sometimes how he's made it as far as he has, but I suppose that's not really my business right? He's such a pain." Petra paused her rant, adding in as an afterthought, "And he's not my husband, he's my boss."

The girl's eyebrows rose, and she gave an all knowing look, "I see, so _that's_ how it is then."

Petra blinked, "How what is?"

The girl only smiled reassuringly, "No need to worry ma'am. We see that sort of thing all the time here and I can promise you that privacy is our top priority."

Petra held up a hand as she shook her head, hoping that she was not at all correct in thinking what the girl was insinuating, "Well I mean, that's great , but I think you may have the wrong-"

The girl cut her off with a gentle smile, "Ma'am no need to explain yourself, its fine." She grabbed a folder, flipping through a few pages, "All things considered, we do have a few nice suites left. Um, it looks like room six is available." She looked up toward Petra seriously, grabbing a pen and preparing to write, "So, how many hours do you think you'll be needing a room?"

Petra's eyes widened and she felt her face go red, "Hours, wha – no! I need the entire night!"

The girl blinked and gave a momentary look of surprise before fixing her expression, "Oh, wow."

Petra deadpanned, her voice gaining in volume as it seemed her words were not getting through to the assumptive desk clerk, " _To. Sleep. In_."

… _What kind of town were they staying in anyhow?_

The clerk gave a nod that clearly showed her disbelief, but she decided she would 'play along' anyway. "Oh, o _f course_ ma'am. I'll write you down for one room-"

"Make that two." A voice cut in behind her, and Petra was so embarrassed she wouldn't dare turn around. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or horrified that Levi had joined in at such a time – though as a thought hit her, her previous embarrassment melted away as Petra smirked widely.

So he had decided to stay at the hotel after all.

Not even attempting to hide her smugness, Petra turned her head slightly, speaking at an angle so she would be heard, "How nice of you to join us Captain. Didn't want to stay in the stable then? Such a pitty."

Petra saw Levi approach the counter from her peripheral vision, and wasn't surprised when he scrutinized the counter testily before giving a sneer and crossing his arms.

"Lay off."

The girl looked up from her book, sincere confusion etched across her face, "Two _separate_ rooms sir?"

Petra was about to open her mouth to respond and clarify that yes they needed two separate rooms, that she had the completely wrong idea, and that they really were just staying there like normal patrons to get some sleep, but Levi's voice cut her off.

"What's it to you?"

The girl looked back and forth between the two of them, losing some of her confidence now that Levi was back in the room. Petra almost felt bad for her.

Almost.

The girl's voice got quiet, "Well it's just…I mean you guys really don't have to worry about appearances on my behalf, I don-"

Levi came in strong, stronger than Petra would have expected. His voice was malignant, "I don't give a shit about what you think - you're just a little hotel girl, right? Do your fucking job and stop asking me all these questions that don't even fucking concern you."

Petra turned toward Levi in shock, though it seemed he still wasn't finished, "Didn't you just say that privacy is your top priority? Stop wasting my time and give me my damned room key."

The girl all but dropped her folder and gave a shaky nod, "Of course, I'm so sorry sir. Will you uh, be paying for them together or separate?" The girl's voice died down at the end, and it was obvious she hadn't wanted to ask the question at all. She looked pleadingly toward Petra, who forcefully cut in before Levi could respond with another quip, as it seemed he was prepared to do.

As she spoke, her eyes narrowed as she shot Levi what she hoped was a menacing glare, "Separate is fine ma'am. Thanks."

As the girl quietly read off the totals for each room, Petra shook her head in disbelief, giving a few bills from her wallet to Levi who then gave the lump sum to the nervous girl, pressing the money into her hand before sneering and wiping his hand onto a handkerchief pointedly.

The clerk gulped as she counted the money, keeping her gaze down on the counter so she didn't have to make eye contact with the incredibly displeased Captain, "Um, thanks for your patronage and I hope you enjoy-"

"Shut up." Levi made a point of snatching the key from the girl before wordlessly walking back out the door, moving through it and slamming the door behind him, an act which caused the girl to flinch fearfully.

Petra looked at the counter, pressing her lips together in both embarrassment and frustration, gently grabbing the key from the girl, giving her a long sympathetic look, "Really miss, he's just… well…" Petra paused as she tried to think of the proper words, looking up at the girl and seeing a look she had all too often shared herself when it came to dealing with Levi. She looked completely terrified.

"…I'm sorry."

Picking up her bags again with determination, knowing there was nothing she could say to change what had occurred, Petra moved back toward the exit with hotel key in hand, quickening her pace to ensure she caught up with a certain Captain who was going to get a piece of her mind.

As she neared him, she shook her head, her voice already raised as anger coursed through her, " _What_ was that all about Captain?"

They continued moving down the walkway until they had both reached their respective rooms. Stopping at the doorway, Levi turned toward her, a little miffed at her tone but otherwise completely calm, "What was what?"

"The girl." Petra's voice was firm and unwavering as anger coursed through her. It was bad enough that Petra had been forced to put up with him all day, but that was her choice so she could stomach it if she had to. For the life of her though, she simply could not comprehend how Levi felt it was okay to treat people like that.

Why did he feel it was okay to make every person that crossed his path miserable?

Petra pointed toward him, eyes narrowed, "You had no right to be so… so mean to her! What the hell was with you back there?"

Levi set his bags down, crossing his arms and looking evenly at her, "She had no right to meddle in people's business like that. It's that simple."

Taking a breath, Petra nodded forward, trying to explain further. While she couldn't believe she was actually reprimanding the Captain like this, someone had to say something – and considering he already hated her, what damage could it possibly do anyway?

Petra also set her bags down, looking up at Levi and scowling, "So she had the wrong idea about why we're here, so what? That makes it okay to treat her like that?" As she spoke, Levi quirked an eyebrow as if to show that he really didn't give a damn, and Petra shook her head, "Captain, she's just a child!"

Levi scoffed, looking at her seriously, "Don't pretend she wasn't bothering you. I could hear the nervousness in your voice."

"…That doesn't matter!"

He rolled his eyes, grabbing his key and turning towards his room door, "If a single direct conversation was the worst she's experienced today then I think she'll live Petra."

As usual, it was clear that Levi couldn't care less about a single thing she was saying. Petra tried again, "…You're missing the point Captain. You can't treat people this way!"

Snapping his attention toward her, Levi set his jaw and took a step toward her as he got in her face, his anger that had been once towards the clerk, now directed solely on her. "Very well Petra. _Spit it out then_. To quote you, I'm tired, I'd like to get into my room, and all do respect, I've had to put up with you and your damned _nagging_ all day. If you are going to waste my time and try to tell me what I can or can't do, then go right ahead if it makes it so you feel like you've 'done the right thing' with your save the day shit."

A long moment paused as Levi stared down at her, his eyes narrowed in irritation, anger radiating off him in waves.

Petra wanted to yell or shout, but as seemed to be the case when he provoked her, she just couldn't find the strength to fight back against his words.

He really did hate her, didn't he?

Petra felt her eyes start to burn, and the silence dragged out.

"Well?" His voice was demanding and loud, and Petra sighed and dropped her gaze to the ground a moment.

Petra looked back up at him, cursing herself as her eyes began to get blurry, "You… you're an _ass_ Captain."

Before she said or did anything else, Petra gave him the dirtiest look she could muster before spinning on her heel and moving into her room, slamming the door shut behind her before the first of her tears began to fall.

She really, really was foolish sometimes.

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(End of Chapter 4)

Okay readers. Let's talk.

I don't want yall throwing pitch forks at me, so take a seat, have some of Petra's Merry Wall's Day coffee and let's be friends.

This was a hard Chapter to write, especially at the end. I know we all here love Levi so it's hard to see him so awful – and heads up will _continue_ to be awful - though keep in mind, Levi has a very obvious 'in' circle for lack of a better word, and if you go back to the manga/anime – those who are not in Levi's immediate circle get treated dreadfully.

I don't want to explain Levi too much here, because I am currently writing from Petra's perspective and that's the _point_ of why I'm doing this. I want you guys to see that above anything else right now, she doesn't get him, doesn't understand why he chooses to do the things he does, and so they are often at odds as their personalities clash, and because of their terrible communication and the fact that both people are EXPRESSIVE when provoked (some people shut down and get quiet, others get violent – how people deal with anger), it leads to some fiery interactions that are far from pleasant (for either of them.)

She blanketly assumes that he hates her, because what else could it be, when really, she knows NOTHING about him. Try to read between the lines here. Go back to read how Petra thinks about Levi, what she thinks about him as a whole, and you'll see that Petra is just as bad if not worse. It's harder to see where she goes wrong because it's written from her perspective (so naturally she agrees with herself and will always take her side), but I PROMISE you it is undeniably there if you are looking at a neutral angle.

As much as I like to write their funny back and forth squabbles that are more entertaining than anything else, I would be doing you a huge disservice as a reader if I didn't bring to light the terrible way this relationship functions right now. Bear in mind for those who follow the timeline of SNK (the real timeline, not mine) If you follow all the side pieces that had been animated, by the time we see Eren joining Squad Levi, they had been working together for at least 5 years at that point. (The original Squad Levi)

Five years people.

Why do I say that? How you see them interact then in the anime, I mean, I get the impression that the squad as a whole is close, but they aren't overly friendly, still have a serious amount of personal space and such – it took them five years to get THERE. So if it took them five years to get to an… amicable place, imagine how weird things were when the squad _first_ came to be? Uh oh, right? That's where this comes from.

Petra (in my mind) joined the squad last. That's my artistic deviation as I have no idea if that's true or not – but Levi doesn't warm up to people, he's very distrusting and very hard to approach, and Petra is the new girl.

Bluntly, it would not have been a smooth transition. That's just the easiest way to put it. This story, more than anything else as it has to fit within the parameters of Wall's Day – will be about Levi and Petra learning to… not hate each other. To just work together and coexist. Dare say, to be friends. *gasp!*

They both need to learn and accept that they are very different from each other and THAT. ITS. OKAY.

*deep breath*

Okay, explanation over. Please extinguish your pitch forks on the way out and rinse out those coffee cups. Levi wouldn't like it if you left them out and they got all moldy and such :)

Anyhow, thanks of course for sticking around and reading my incredibly long side note. As for the next update, Chapter 4 will be posted on the 24th – an aggressive goal, but it's my gift to you! There's nothing better than reading a good story on Christmas eve, though I wouldn't blame you if you read Wall's Day instead. That's what I'll be doing!

Merry Christmas and happy reading!

Midnight


	4. Chapter 4

Hey yall, I am so terribly sorry.

I had been fully expecting this piece to have been written and posted waayyy back in December but it just plain and simple didn't happen. My sister had a baby, I got married at the end of April (CRAZY RIGHT?!), and life has just now begun to slow back down to a regular pace. Excuses and life events aside, I apologize again for the delay. None the less, I hope everyone had a brilliant Christmas/ Holiday season and jovial New Year!

… And a good valentine's day. *sigh* I really did miss a lot huh?

Thanks for sticking around and enjoy this longer-than-average chapter! Thanks for the support :)

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Sleep had been a long time off for Petra, so when the sun started to peer through the blinds of her hotel room, she gave a groan and threw a pillow towards the window before sitting up and glaring forward in annoyance.

She had no one to blame but herself, but she had been so upset and irritated at the Captain that she had spent hours stewing over things and had hardly gotten a good night's sleep.

It hadn't helped that she could hear constant commotion from the city streets throughout the night. There had been groups of people shouting loudly, glass bottles crashing and breaking – if it hadn't been for the constant laughter echoing from the streets, Petra would have thought there was a riot breaking out. At one point she had peaked out the window just to make sure, but sure enough, it was just various groups of drunk passersby likely going home after all the bars had closed.

Thinking more about it now that she had time to sit down and ponder the girl's assumptive behavior, she supposed it wasn't all that surprising that this town had more questionable morals to it. Often times the cities that bordered the Wall's entryways were ports of trade for all types of goods – legal and otherwise.

All things considered, Petra wasn't all that surprised that the girl had mistaken her and the Captain's intentions. Living in such a city where most activity was ignored by the military and underground activity flourished, a scandalous relationship between a girl and her employer was hardly something to bat an eyelash at. From what Petra knew about the trader cities, such activity was incredibly common; practically encouraged in fact.

Petra shuddered at the thought, deciding to dismiss the issue.

Standing up from the bed, Petra moved over to the window, looking up at the sunrise and working out timetables in her mind. She was thinking it was still around seven, so she wouldn't have to run into the Captain for at least a few hours yet.

Going over toward the nightstand, Petra had been pleased to notice that a small amount of coffee had been left out as a courtesy for overnight guests.

At least that was _something_ to be grateful for after yesterday's aggravating line of events.

Making the single cup of coffee, Petra frowned a bit when she noticed there was no cream or sugar that had been left out, though in all fairness the fact there had been coffee at all was surprise enough. Taking her time to enjoy the cup of coffee and allowing the caffeine to bring her mind into alertness, Petra forced herself to focus on the inevitable.

In a short while, Levi and herself would set out on the road and would be traveling all day. If they moved at a back breaking pace they would get to her father's house around late afternoon, however there was no reason to push herself or horse so hard, so they would have to settle for late this evening instead.

She had originally fiddled with the idea of stopping for another night if it got too late out on the road, however seeing how last night had gone, seeing how _well_ Petra had managed to communicate with Levi, there was no way she would willingly make the same mistake. At the very least, going home meant that Levi wouldn't have to pick out another hotel to stay in.

Besides, the sooner she got home, the sooner she could see her father and have _someone_ to interact with in a way that didn't involve scoffing, glaring, or muttering curses under their breath each time she tried to initiate conversation.

Trying not to allow herself to stew on what was becoming a rather sore subject; Petra stood up and grabbed out a fresh change of clothes, dressing quietly before repacking her things and preparing for the day. She had been so angry off and on that she hadn't noticed how little she had actually eaten yesterday and as she moved about the room, her stomach growled angrily as though to remind her of that very fact.

She had made time to eat breakfast before she left yesterday, and on the road had eaten an apple she had managed to procure from the kitchen– but other than that nothing. It hadn't been too much of a concern to her at the time due to her attentions being pulled every which way once they had arrived in the city, but her lack of proper nourishment was finally catching up with her.

Her stomach gave another low rumble and Petra clutched her abdomen, giving a low sigh as she finished organizing her things, grabbing a few bills out of her wallet and moving toward the door of her room, locking the door and moving down the sidewalk.

She wasn't exactly sure where she was supposed to go, and frankly being in such an unsavory town made her rather wary of her surroundings, however she could easily defend herself from a measly would-be-mugger. With a confident nod, Petra turned down the street and walked at a steady pace until she heard the hustle and bustle of the morning crowd.

Following the growing activity as Petra made her way down the streets, Petra located what she expected was the town's shopping district. Walking down the street and observing the local stands for something suitable to eat, she perused a fruit stand, pleased to see a rather wide variety. There were at least four or five different types of fruits, and while some of them were clearly over ripe or heavily bruised from travel, Petra spent her time sorting through them, grabbing two apples, a bunch of grapes, and a handful of strawberries.

Paying for her produce, she gave a nod of thanks and quickly turned back to the hotel, not wanting to be out and about in the city any longer than she had to be.

She walked along the pathway of the hotel, again looking at the small bag of collected fruits and gave a low sigh as she thought about the day ahead of her, as well as all that had transpired the day previous. Perhaps somehow, this day wouldn't be as bad as yesterday. Surely it wasn't possible to have such bad interactions two days in a row right?

As she continued thinking about it, Petra found herself pausing not at her door, but the one next to hers.

The Captain's.

As irritated as she was with him, she doubted the Captain had plans to make a morning run to the local market, and as little as she ate yesterday, she knew the Captain had eaten even less. Prideful or not, he would be hungry, and she had plenty enough to share. Perhaps if they both started the day off with a full stomach it would make things easier on the both of them.

She knocked on the door lightly, waiting as she heard a creak of the floor boards and the adjusting of locks before Levi appeared before her.

Though he had made a point of blocking the doorway the same way he usually did, by standing directly in the small gap and glaring darkly, Petra waved a hand in irritation, taking an immediate step forward toward the door, which surprisingly enough seemed to work because he took a cautious step back, opening the door wider to avoid colliding with her, all while giving her a miffed look.

"Won't you come in."

"Please don't start Captain, it's far too early for this." Petra responded testily as she moved past him.

She heard Levi give a sigh and close the door, the floor creaking again as he moved back into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Taking off her shoes at the doorway before moving across the room and sitting down in the provided desk chair, Petra explained her sudden arrival, trying to be pleasant regardless her wary state, "I got some fruit from the nearby vendors here. It still needs to be washed but I think everything is ripe."

As she spoke, Petra looked around the room, noting that the arrangement of furniture was hardly any different than hers, though she did find the atmosphere of her room much more to her liking. Her room had been striped with blue and silver decor, while the Captain's room seemed to have accent colors of bold reds and blacks. She supposed the decorum was nice enough, but Petra felt she had seen enough of the color red to last her a lifetime, and an unwilling shiver went down her spine.

Petra forcibly moved her attention toward Levi. She could tell he had been awake for a while - at least long enough for his morning shower; the fact his hair was damp and resting flat against his forehead in small stubborn, wet strands was proof enough of that. While he never exactly looked fresh and spritely in the morning, his under eyes were particularly dark and shadowed today, his body language exuded exhaustion. Petra knew with certainty she wasn't the only one who had suffered from a poor night's sleep.

Petra continued, giving no allusion to her thoughts, "Make sure you eat okay? I know it's not really my business, but you hardly ate anything yesterday, and going two days without proper nutrition is stupid when it can be avoided. There's plenty for the both of us, and I'd feel a lot better if I knew for certain that you at least had a good breakfast."

She paused as she looked back toward the Captain, watching him stubbornly, "You can fight me on it all you want but I'm putting my foot down on this one because you need to eat."

While she had been expecting a sarcastic quip back, Levi merely gave a low, accepting nod as he stared into the floor and Petra couldn't help but stare in surprise for a long moment, still waiting for a snarky or rude statement that would never come. Even though it was an incredibly simple and _obvious_ fact that Levi did indeed need to eat, he had fought her and been an absolute pain for even less in the past. The fact he accepted it so simply was just not like him.

Petra gave him a cautious side glance as the moment began to draw out, narrowing her eyes as she thought out loud.

"…Are you sick?"

"No. Why?"

The simple question caught her off guard.

"Nothing, just... never mind." She mumbled quickly, looking down into the floor in contemplation. As the silence began to settle once more, Petra cleared her throat, "Well I can wash these up real quick. Anything you like, or don't like? I grabbed some apples, strawberries, and a cluster of green grapes."

"That's fine. Thanks."

Petra could merely blink at his easy going response.

"Oh, well…. no problem Captain. Happy to help." Petra, mystified at his dare say _amicable_ behavior, had to take one more look toward him, just to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. Remembering herself as the silence began to draw out again, Petra refrained from indulging her urge to outright stare at him and scampered off to the bathroom before she said anything stupid.

Carefully washing the fruit in a gentle fashion, Petra shook the clinging water off the fruits before moving back into the main room.

She made her way toward the Captain, tossing the apple first, which he caught without even having to shift his attention – something that she could only dream of doing, then she neared him, "Here, have some of the rest as well. I uh, don't have a plate or anything though so, you'll just have to- well, here." Petra held her hands out where the rest of the fruit was gathered, "Take what you want, as you can see there's plenty."

Seeing a glimpse of the proud Captain she was more familiar with, Petra watched his eyes narrow as he began surveying the fruits, pursing his lips as though fully weighing his options before carefully selecting piece by piece which fruits he valued over the others. As Levi began sorting through the fruits, he pulled out a strawberry and his fingers brushed gently against her palm. While the contact had been brief, lasting nothing more than a fraction of a second, Petra found the contact to be rather surreal; he had such a gentle touch.

She blinked in confusion for a small moment.

The Captain seemed to take notice and looked up at her, "What? Did you want that one too?"

She shook her head, schooled her expression and responded earnestly, "No, no it's fine. Take whatever, really."

Levi nodded and redirected his attention downward, grabbing a few more grapes before muttering a low thank you as he popped the first grape into his mouth and sat back upward, seeming only half awake at best.

Petra gave some form of response before quickly retiring back into her chair, grabbing a strawberry and biting into it. She tried to wrap her mind around this new side of Levi that she was being introduced to. Swallowing, Petra took a deep breath, trying to be careful as she didn't want to provoke him into a bad mood, but still. He just seemed so _off_ today…

Her voice was pensive, "Captain are… Are you sure you're okay?"

A long silence followed as Levi cocked his head ever so slightly toward her, proving he was indeed listening. He seemed to be legitimately considering her question and a heavy, but comfortable silence settled into the room. He gave a light sigh after a while and looked up toward the ceiling, spinning a grape in his fingers back and forth before finally popping it into his mouth with a shrug, "…I'm just tired is all."

Another silence filled the room and just when Petra was about to respond, Levi started speaking again, his voice ringing with irritation, "And it didn't help that those assholes kept screaming out in the streets at three AM. I mean, who the fuck has that kind of energy these days? Damned fools need to get a job or something, anything other than give me a raging headache. For fuck's sake, ridiculous."

Unwillingly, Petra found a gentle smile paint her lips as the Captain gave a shake of his head, yawning widely before exhaling and mumbling further to himself, seemingly having lost the energy required to remain upset at the circumstance and retiring back to his more sedated, half alert state.

As the interaction came to an end, Petra moved her attention onto the apple in her hand, thoughts of the night previous coming to mind. His words to her then had been so cold, like he couldn't possibly care any less if she was around or not. He went out of his way it seemed to remind her of her place, which apparently was beneath his feet if last night had been any indication. After all she had done and all she had been through in the past year under his command, he simply dismissed all her words and actions as mere nagging. As if that was all she was to him and the Squad.

Just a nag.

Petra shook the memories away.

She _should_ be spitting mad at him and his childish, dismissive behavior that had been displayed. She should be in her room counting down the precious time she had left until she had to meet the Captain, dreading what would certainly be a terrible morning, followed by a terrible day, and quite possibly a terrible week.

Even now as she sat, she knew without a doubt that she and the Captain would find something to fight about, and she would get so mad and upset she would swear to herself that she would never speak with him again, that she was done with his antics, and she was done trying.

She was justified in every way to be _at least_ irritated with him… but as he sat there silently, staring into the floor and blinking perpetually as he seemed to have trouble focusing on something as simple as eating breakfast, Petra found she just couldn't be angry about the night previous and the cruel, awful things he said to her.

Perhaps it was just the light, but he didn't look like the picture of 'Humanity's Strongest' or the living breathing weapon many people thought him to be. He didn't hold the same air of arrogance that the Captain who had almost single handedly made her professional life a living nightmare had always held. With how he was sitting - slouching forward with his elbows resting against his knees, lazily keeping his head propped up on his wrist as he looked at the apple from every which angle before taking the first bite, he looked so…normal.

Much different from the Captain she was used to.

Perhaps, Petra thought as she grabbed a grape and ate it deftly – its flavor bitter and sour at first but sweet and refreshing at the end - this was _Levi_ that she was dealing with.

Not the terrifying Captain, not a mere weapon, but just… the person.

Just maybe.

* * *

Hours had passed since then, and it seemed as though Levi really hadn't been kidding that he was simply tired, because as the day moved on and he seemed to wake up a bit, he returned to his normal impossible self. Petra's hope that having a good breakfast to start the day off right hadn't seemed to have helped in the least, because as they traveled the atmosphere seemed to get more tense, and Levi's mood kept getting darker and darker.

Their bickering continued.

"I'm telling you Captain, I know where I'm going."

"The way you insist that we go isn't even _on_ the map."

"That's because, _like I just said_ , this map is severely outdated."

"I refuse to allow your shitty ass memory to get us lost in the forest. We're taking the long way."

"Can't you just trust me a little?!" Petra spat out, "Jeez since we've started this trip you've been nothing but a demanding pain in the ass. It's okay to depend on me a little, I mean, isn't that what you're always talking about? We're on a team so we have to depend on each other?" She took a breath and continued, "Well why is it that when it comes time to put me to the test you act like I don't even exist?"

A silence fell across the arguing pair; the only sounds to be heard were the birds in the sky and the light trot of the horses.

Her response finally was a mere side glare from the Captain, which Petra tried deftly to not let get under her skin. While it seemed Levi had the uncanny ability to not care in the slightest if she was angry with him or not, Petra had been blessed with other (much less convenient) talents.

She gave a long sigh and she pressed her lips together, trying hard to not be intimidated by his cold stare– after all he was the one who owed _her_ some answers, but her nerves and short temper got the best of her. After a few moments under his scrutiny, Petra gave a loud groan.

"And stop glaring at me! If you're not even going to have the decency to respond, the least you can do is stop staring at me like that. Unless of course you're prepared to explain as to why you can't just trust me on something so simple?"

Levi's expression darkened and he gave a low sigh, moving his attention back toward the trail, "We're taking the long way."

His voice was low, a habit she realized he made use of when he was trying to get his point across as the last and final word on a subject. It didn't escape her notice that he was purposely dodging her question, refusing to give her any insight as to why her thoughts were invalid. Petra was so annoyed that she wasn't sure if she should start shouting, or just laugh sarcastically at the entire circumstance. Laughter seemed to win over as a sort of chuckle came from her lips.

She shook her head bitterly, mumbling under her breath, "That's what _you_ think Captain."

Her attentions had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she missed when Levi's attention snapped back toward her again, eyes wide in surprise at her sort of…back talk, before an even darker frown marred his features and he glared forward again, grinding his teeth in frustration.

The pair had remained silent for quite some time, both lost in thought until some hours later, they came across a sign stating there was a town just a few miles away. Petra had stated with a quipped voice that the horses should rest, and Levi all but cut her off he agreed so quickly, adding that they shouldn't overwork their horses two days in a row. Petra nodded firmly in agreement, and the matter was settled.

Both had inwardly known their words were a lie, though neither dared to call each other out. The horses after all were trained for exhaustive missions and a leisurely stroll on the soft dirt trails hardly qualified as overworking them, but in reality, they needed some space apart from each other.

The silence had long since moved past awkward and was now at a boiling point, where the smallest of things would set either of them off. As for Petra, she was just so mad that he really never, not once had given her a real chance on the squad, a fact that he kept highlighting in his unwillingness to trust her in the tiniest of things – and as for the Captain, Petra couldn't help but wonder if his face had become permanently frozen in that menacing glare he kept shooting at her.

Either way, some fresh air (and space away from the other person) would do them both some good.

Upon arriving at the town, they had agreed they would get more accomplished if they had split up, both pretending that productivity was their number one concern and certainly had nothing to do with getting away from the other person. After dropping their horses off at the stable, they had agreed to meet again in two hours and went their separate ways.

The first thing Petra had done with her new found free time? She went to the very edge of town and screamed as loud as she could, and a few tree branches may have been left scuffed up and broken in her explosive tirade. Yes she knew it was childish, and yes she had attracted the concerned glances of anyone in a two block radius, but she didn't care. This was the worst, most miserable idea she had ever had and there was no one she could blame but herself.

To top matters off, even though she could technically, by definition at least, tell the Captain to get lost at any point in time, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She wasn't sure if it was still a result of her inward convictions that prevented her from making such a stand, or if at this point it was simply a matter of pride, where she was determined in some twisted way to outlast him in his emotional endurance.

Whatever it was, she hated herself for it.

The odd combination of happenings and the fact that she was allowing herself to experience such torment had left her in a rather disagreeable mood. After sufficiently screaming out a number of profanities and crushing every rock or pebble within arm's reach, Petra marched back into the streets, admittedly amused at how the gathered crowd of passersby quickly returned to their lives, scampering away and refusing to make eye contact with the enraged hellion that had grabbed their attention in the first place.

Trying to calm her agitated nerves, Petra perused the town, weaving in and out of stores and reminding herself she shouldn't waste her pocket money on extravagant trinkets she didn't need, even if she did want to spoil herself as a way to compensate for her sour mood.

It's not like she didn't have enough money, in fact she brought most of her savings from the previous year, however she had planned on giving it to her father and didn't want to waste it on something trivial. As for her father, she was certain that he would never accept it from her flat out, but she would find a way to leave it behind – in a drawer or on a work table somewhere -and by the time he found it she would be long gone.

He _did_ always hate it when she did that - either mail him funds, send him expensive gifts in the mail, or as the rare occasion would have it, try and give it to him in person. He always said that with her dangerous lifestyle she couldn't afford scrimping and saving for an old man like him and should rather spend it on herself for a change; she had earned it after all.

Petra smiled in memory of the various exchanged letters where they talked about it back and forth, never to reach any real form of resolution.

In a way she supposed he was right, but being able to take care of her family, protect and provide like that, really made her feel like they weren't all that far apart even when they were. Even if it wasn't a lot, it was the little bit she _could_ do for him all things considered, so it was something she did with joy when the opportunity presented itself.

Letting out a sigh and thanking the shop clerk of the current store she had found herself in, Petra moved back into the street, taking note of the time in a focused manner.

She had just over an hour left now, and in that hour she needed to get in a decent meal, as well as grab her horse from the stable. Knowing that she would later be looking for a place to eat, Petra had made sure that she kept an eye out for a decent restaurant as she walked from store to store, and had been pleased to find what looked like a small quiet joint on the edge of town. Heading in that direction now that her window shopping was complete, Petra found the small building a few blocks away, pleased that the front sidewalk was well maintained and the building was in good condition.

Petra walked in, a small bell on the door giving a metallic jingle as she closed the wooden door behind her. An automatic 'be there in a moment' came from some area Petra couldn't see – she presumed the kitchen – and so she took a moment to look around the restaurant while she waited for the hostess, not sure if she should just seat herself or not.

By all accounts it wasn't anything too special, the business was clearly a small mom and pop joint, but it was clean and quiet – something Petra treasured at the moment. The walls were decorated with various paintings that, while they were clearly painted by an amateur - perhaps a grandchild or some close variant, they still added a nice charm to the place. There were only a few wooden tables, and nearing the left side of the room there was a small bar area where there were just a couple stools lined up for patrons who were there for a drink instead of a meal.

As a whole, Petra decided as she scanned the place over, it was the perfect place to relax for a while. If she could, she would find a nice quiet corner where –

As she continued observing her surroundings, her gaze fell on a shock of familiar black hair, and her blood ran cold.

It couldn't be.

She couldn't stop her immediate reaction, feeling blood rush to her face in embarrassment and aggravation.

 _Apparently_ she hadn't been the only one to find this place alluring, because there in the very back corner of the room, the same spot she would have chosen for herself in fact, sat Captain Levi. While she hadn't been in there for longer than a few minutes, it was obvious he had spotted her first and was equally displeased that she too had found this joint to be a prime location for lunch.

Petra tried not to look as shocked as she felt and had to promptly remind herself to close her mouth and stop gaping at him before he threw a fork at her or something. She couldn't help the groan that escaped her lips and she popped out a hip in aggravation, wondering how it was even possible that the two had such similar tastes. She should just leave. The damage hadn't been done yet; she could simply pretend that she had just been looking around and that she had decided to eat at another location that was better suited for her.

Only problem was, this was in fact where she wanted to eat lunch. All of the other places in town looked crowded or noisy, and she really just needed a place to unwind a bit.

Before she could make any proper escape plan, all too soon the owner arrived, wiping her hands on a dish towel as she hurried to the front, her hustled footsteps the only thing that grabbed Petra's attention away from her menacing Captain that had now glared forward, seemingly trying to burn a hole in the wall with his gaze.

"Sorry for your wait ma'am, we're between shifts right now and – oh goodness, you're a Scout too aren't you?"

Petra blinked at her words, looking down at herself in confusion because while she may have been mistaken, she didn't recall putting anything embroidered with the Wings of Freedom on today.

Catching her confused look, the elderly hostess laughed, "Oh no my dear, I can just tell these things, you know? You Scouts have a certain look about you, what from all the battles I guess. Well you are most welcome here my dear. If you want I can seat your right next to your friend over there, I'm sure you both-"

"No!" Petra stated a little too quickly (and a little too loudly) to pass as casual.

The woman blinked at her strong response, and Petra blanched when from the corner of the room, the Captain visibly smirked at her outburst. Petra narrowed her eyes.

"Um, no" she recovered smoothly, "I actually won't be here that long so I'll probably just grab a sandwich or something light for the road. If it's all the same with you, I think a bar seat would be perfect."

Not thinking much of it, the hostess beamed, "Of course my dear, pick out any seat you like and I'll take your order in just a few minutes. Can I get you anything to drink?"

Petra nodded a thanks, responding that just a water was perfect, before moving toward the barstool and picking a seat where her back faced the Captain. While the thought of him hovering not far behind her _was_ a bit unnerving, at least it meant she didn't have to see or deal with him.

At first, she had been so hyper aware of his presence that the air felt almost suffocating as she pretended to not be aware of his near location, however as time passed on – the waitress took her order, sometime later brought out her order, refilled her water from time to time – Petra had all but forgotten he was even there at all.

In the end, she had in fact ordered a sandwich, as well as gotten a bowl of the house soup the restaurant was serving for the day. When her order had been served to her, she wasn't exactly sure what type of soup had been presented to her. It had appeared to be some sort of beef broth concoction with heavy amounts of ground pepper and chunks of potatoes floating in it, but it was served hot and tasted pretty good.

Petra had felt adventurous enough to even try dipping her sandwich into the nameless dark soup, discovering with a sense of glee that the two worked very well together in such a way that it hardly made sense to eat either of them separate from that point on.

She had eaten her meal leisurely, enjoying the warm flavors that reminded her so much of home. The waitress had come back to grab her plates, and the two had made small talk about her travels, that she was going home for Thanksgiving, and various light hearted topics that helped pass the time away.

As they had been conversing, again the metallic ring on the door had sounded, and the waitress had given her an apologetic look, "Sorry sweetie, duty calls again."

Petra shook her head warmly, "Don't worry about it! I appreciate the conversation!"

As she walked toward the door, the woman grinned over her shoulder, "Me too, my dear."

Not so much from curiosity but mere force of habit, Petra looked toward the door to see who the new guests were – not that she would know any of them of course. It appeared to be a group of men that looked to be a few years older than her. Though Petra as a whole thought herself to be a patient person, she decided instantly that she didn't like them.

The restaurant, all up until five seconds ago, had been a quiet, peaceful joint that had been the reprieve she was looking for, but now was filled up with loud, raucous laughter that echoed off the walls and made her irritation rise. Much to her dismay, when the kind hostess asked where they wanted to sit, they responded that they were all off work for the day and wanted to catch a few drinks.

It seemed she had company.

Grabbing her glass of water and drinking from it sullenly, Petra avoided eye contact as the group neared the bar, ignoring their complaints about there not being enough chairs and rolling her eyes as the sound of other chairs scraping the ground as they were drug toward the bar echoed across the walls.

"Say lady, you don't mind us sitting here with you right?"

"It's fine."

She had counted four men total, and she found herself awkwardly sandwiched between the men considering the small number of chairs and space offered at the bar. She briefly considered getting up and going to a new table, however the men hadn't done anything wrong so she didn't want to appear rude by making such a stand.

Petra tried to be as detached as she could from the group, though as the drinks started arriving, their ability to just leave her alone seemed to lessen. At first, it was a question here or there, annoying, but nothing too out of place. 'Haven't seen you around here before', or 'You come here with anybody' had been asked a few times, as well as if she wanted a drink or not, because they'd be more than happy to buy a drink for such a lovely lady.

All of their questions had been met with short responses, usually one word or a 'No thank you.' when appropriate.

As the next wave of drinks arrived and the group continued to get louder and louder, Petra had flagged the hostess down and asked for her check. Understanding perfectly, the hostess sent her an apologetic look, to which Petra merely smiled and waved a hand in understanding, hoping to give her some sort of reassurance that it had nothing to do with her in the least.

"That's a pretty smile you have there." The man to her right stated as he turned to her.

The smile instantly left her face and Petra looked back down into the table, inwardly hoping that regardless her smile, the hostess worked with urgency to get her ticket to her. It wasn't that Petra couldn't handle herself, but the waitress had treated her so kindly – she didn't want to make any trouble for her by offending potential repeat guests when she herself was merely passing through.

"Oh come on now, don't be like that pretty girl. We're just trying to show you a good time and make you smile like that again. No harm in that right?"

Petra ground her teeth, reminding herself to be patient. While she _could_ lay them out into next week, they were just simple men who had no idea how to take a hint.

She looked toward the man coolly, "Again, I'd appreciate being left alone. Thank you."

Another guy turned toward her, looking around his friend as he leaned toward her, "What's the fun in being lonely though? Wouldn't you rather have a fun day with us? There's lots of cool things we could do together."

"And who knows?" another stated loudly, "If you play your cards right, maybe you'll find that come tomorrow, you're not lonely at all. What do you say sweetie?"

Petra tried to give a dark glare to each of them, speaking in a low tone that she hoped sounded final, "No. Thank. You."

At that, the guys just laughed together, seemingly finding her response more cute than intimidating. Certainly not the response she had been hoping for and her mood worsened. Where _was_ that hostess?

"See fellas, she's just a little too tense, isn't that right sugar? Long week in the office right? Let me guess, boss been giving you too much shit lately?"

Petra ground her teeth, repeating to herself like a mantra to just ignore them. Just ignore them for now, pay the ticket and get the hell out of there fast. Little did they know that her 'boss' was mere feet behind them, listening to their every word.

"I'll bet your boss is a real hard ass huh? Well come hang out with us, just a few drinks is all. We don't bite!"

"Yeah, not unless you ask us to."

Again the group was sent laughing at their own suggestive joke, and Petra gave a sigh of relief once she saw the waitress exit from the kitchen with her ticket in hand.

The look on the hostess' face was urgent, as though she understood all too well the circumstance at hand and was just as eager to get Petra out the door for her own sake. Petra again found herself feeling so thankful for the kind hostess she had crossed paths with today.

"I'll ring your ticket up right over here my dear, just as soon as you're ready."

Petra nodded quickly and slid back on her stool as she prepared to leave.

So much for a peaceful lunch.

In retrospect, not all of it had been bad. It was just the drunk morons that had soured her stay. At least she would be able to leave the restaurant without making any trouble for the lady. That was something positive at least.

Just as she took her first step away from the bar, one of the men grabbed her wrist, "Now hold on just a second sweetie, you can't leave without a drink. Just one drink is all we ask, why you gotta be like this?"

Amidst the 'yeahs' and 'just a shot or something' the other men added in, Petra's voice dripped with venom. Enough was enough.

"Let _go_ of me."

"See now you're just being over dramatic. You were sitting at the bar already, and the more the merrier as they say. We're nice guys lady, give us a chance and you'll see."

"I said let go!" Petra repeated a bit more loudly, wondering if she should just rip her arm out of his grasp or not, still hesitant to make a big show of force, but well aware that things were getting well out of hand. Maybe she should have just moved seats at the beginning, but it didn't seem necessary at the time and-

She was suddenly tugged forward with a yank and due to being lost in thought, she almost lost her footing and all but collided with the man that pulled her forward, awkwardly half standing and half resting into his shoulder at the pull of movement that had caught her so off guard.

She tensed stiffly for a moment as she was half pressed against the stranger. The smell of whiskey flooded her senses and she shot back up, face glowing red as the man chuckled, "See, I knew you'd fall for me sooner or later. Jokes aside though, how about we-"

The man was unable to finish his sentence because in that moment, another observing party had apparently seen enough. In a flash, Petra's free arm had been grasped, _hard_ , and pulled roughly in a new direction – the pull of force so strong that it removed her out of the stranger's grasp without hesitation and shot her backwards away from the bar and near the empty tables. She stumbled a few steps back before finally finding her footing, looking back toward the bar with surprise.

In the next fluid moment, the stool the man had been previously sitting on had been knocked out from under him in a side kick and as the man fell off his chair and toward the ground, he was hoisted back upward by his collar, brought eye to eye with a very angry Captain Levi.

The air stilled as the two observed each other, and the Captain's grip tightened as he pulled the man even closer.

"She" The Captain emphasized lowly with a tilt of his head toward his frightened subordinate behind him, "Belongs. To me."

A long moment of silence passed as time seemed to catch up with the men and a sort of fear washed over them at the sudden confrontation from the silent man they hadn't paid much regard to during their stay.

The man held by his collar gulped, stuttering as the Captain glared down at him with an expectant stare, "S-sorry man. W-we assumed that she was a-alone so-"

"I don't give a damned fuck what you assumed. If I see any of you shits again you'll regret it. Now get out."

The Captain released the man with a shove and he stumbled back, hitting the bar firmly before stumbling to the ground in a graceless heap.

Truly disgraceful.

It was a quiet voice, a mere whisper, but the unmistakable voice of Petra hit the Captain's ears, "Captain, their…their tab…" she mumbled and he gave a longsuffering sigh of irritation.

"Fine. You pay your tab and _then_ get the fuck out – now _move_."

Petra watched with wide eyes as the four men practically fell over each other they moved so quickly, not even bothering with actual bills but rather slapping large dollar amounts on the table before scampering out just as quickly as possible in their inebriated state.

Shaking her head and wondering just what it was about the Captain that made him so intimidating – wondering why when _she_ talked like that the men had just laughed at her – Petra looked toward the Captain who's back was still facing her.

"Captain I…" her voice died off as she realized she didn't really even _know_ what to say in response.

"I trained you better, Petra."

His words were simple, but they were laced with annoyance and something she couldn't quite place.

A flurry of emotions fell over her. She was admittedly thankful, embarrassed by the situation as a whole, confused as to why the men hadn't taken her seriously for even a moment, but as she watched them scurry out the door, looked back to the Captain that wouldn't even look at her, she found that above all she was angry.

Why was this all _her_ fault suddenly?

If he didn't want to involve himself, he could have just sat there quietly like he had done the whole time. Her 'assailants' if she could even _use_ that word to describe them, were four out of shape, drunken men who hadn't seen a day of combat in their lives. She had everything under control and hadn't once asked for his help. Did he really think she couldn't handle herself?

And what was more, what the hell was with his whole 'She belongs to me' line? As if she was just some damned piece of property that passed from person to person like luggage?

Petra pressed her lips together, irritated all the more as the scene kept replaying itself in her mind. He really didn't trust her, did he? He didn't trust her on the squad, didn't trust with something as stupid as directions, and now he didn't even trust her to take care of _herself._

Why could he not just give her a chance to succeed? Why was every step she took wrong in his eyes?

"Well I didn't ask for your help, _Captain_." She reminded him bitterly, standing her ground firmly, "And I do _not_ 'belong' to you."

He turned around and observed her for a moment, held her gaze and walked close, standing toe to toe as he observed her plainly. His face was blank and devoid of expression, though his eyes were glowing with anger.

"The military says otherwise." His voice was smooth and low, albeit quipped, "Whether we are off duty or not, you still report to me and I expect a member of my ranks to at least be able to fucking stand up for themselves. Be angry all you want but it was an action I was forced to take, seems how you don't even have the balls to get up and move to a new table."

Petra's mouth fell open and she nodded sarcastically, "Sure, so _now_ you give me the time of day to prove my skills, huh? Gods forbid you notice me during drills or expeditions, gods forbid you give me a fair shot at doing anything right, but the second some punks give me trouble and I hesitate to engage in senseless violence, I've let down the ever observant Captain."

It was rare that Petra had seen emotion on the Captain's face, but as he pulled his eyebrows down and questioned her incredulously, he appeared rather taken back in confusion, "Senseless violence? Is that how you see this?" He pointed behind him toward the bar and watched her for a response.

Petra shrugged curtly, "Well there had to be a way to resolve things in a way that didn't involve scaring them half to death. I could have-"

"Yeah no shit you could have." Levi scoffed as he cut her off, "What you did instead worked _really_ well didn't it."

Petra had actually watched the Captain roll his eyes at her, and something inside of her snapped.

"What is your problem?" she demanded loudly, crossing her arms and fixing him with a confrontational stare, "Ever since I've joined the squad you've treated me like I'm second class! Need I remind you that _you_ are the one who recruited _me_?"

Levi looked only further annoyed and he blinked in confusion, "What? This has _nothing_ to do with the squad."

"This has everything to do with the squad!" Petra retorted hotly, "You never give me a chance, you always push me aside. Never mind that I have the highest marks and am the team's most consistent performer."

The Captain quirked a brow and clicked his tongue, seeming to pick his words carefully, "Well it seems you have the numbers to validate yourself; your inferiority complex is not my problem."

"Come to think of it, why is it you never hit me?" Petra asked testily, and if the Captain had been drinking a beverage it was likely that he would have spat it out dramatically, not believing the question she had just asked – no, demanded of him - in such a public setting.

" _What_?"

"You heard me! During drills, during conditioning, when the guys mess up or get on your nerves, you punch them or kick them or something violent to prove your point – yet when it comes to me, you just sneer or sigh, shake your head and walk away without a word. You really think I don't notice?"

Petra waited a moment, then added in darkly, "And if you _dare_ say it's because I'm a girl so help me Captain, because we both know that's not what's holding you back."

He gave a slow nod and mumbled an 'I see' before crossing his arms in return, "So you feel I'd be a better Captain if I were to _beat_ you?"

Petra deadpanned, not appreciating that he felt he could dance around the question, like she'd be too stupid to notice, "No, you'd be a better Captain to treat your subordinates equally!"

Levi leaned closer toward her again, seeming to try and intimidate her like he had done with the men previous. There had been many times Petra had been afraid of her Captain when he was in a bad mood like this, but today was not one of those times. What exactly was he going to do, hit her?

Yeah, well, she had wished that many times and always walked away disappointed, so today wouldn't be any different.

So she waited.

"…How I choose to manage my squad is not up for your judgment."

Petra's voice lowered as she leaned forward as well, mere inches from the Captain now as though daring him to say something – do something, _anything_ to prove her wrong. If either of them moved a mere inch they would undoubtedly touch.

Petra heard the worried voice of the hostess from the back of the room, 'Everything okay deary?' though she had pretended not to hear her and stared at the Captain with every ounce of determination she could muster.

"I've got news for you, _Captain_. You're going to have to get used to me sooner or later, because I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I don't do things the way you do, I can't _think_ the way you do, and I certainly refuse to _treat_ people the way you do. As for the guys just now, I didn't need your help, I didn't ask for your help, so I don't need _your_ judgment. I was fine on my own before you stepped in."

The Captain gave a long sigh and ground his teeth, watching her for a long moment wordlessly while the two continued testing each other, waiting to see who would break first.

When he finally spoke, his words resounded more as a threat than an actual statement, "You are going to learn to respect me, Petra."

She gave a shake of her head, her voice just as malignant, "You're wrong; it's _you_ who needs to learn to respect _me,_ Captain."

Another long moment passed, both too stubborn to give in to the other, both shooting deadly glares to the other and giving unspoken threats of warning.

"Um, deary?" It was the hostess again, and Petra had to suppress a sigh, "I can check you out over here. Or if you'd rather stay for a while longer? I'd hate to intrude, but I just wanted to make sure. Sorry to interrupt."

Biting her lip, Petra closed her eyes and turned her attentions to the hostess. While before she had been grateful for her diligence, right now she just wanted to be left alone for a while longer. Perhaps it was for the best though; there really was nothing left for either of them to say anyways.

"…I'll be right over."

The moment was broken and Petra walked away.

The Captain gave a sharp inhale, his expression now murderous, though he said nothing and shook his head at all that had transpired between them. Rocking back on his heel, he turned over his shoulder without a second glance and moved back to his table, lacing his hands in front of his face and glaring at the wall in angered contemplation.

As Petra grabbed a few bills and listened to the hostess' chatter about how it was rare such things happened at her restaurant, so sorry your friend had to go through all that trouble, good thing he was here because she wasn't sure what would have happened without him – Petra tuned her out after that and sorted through her thoughts on the matter.

She had always wondered what it would be like to tell the Captain off like that.

She always believed she would feel so vindicated. Successful. She halfway assumed that there would be a moment of understanding or clarity, perhaps they had both just misunderstood each other and things would be different – that the argument would have been rough, but only good would have come from it.

How naive she was.

She had finally stood up to the Captain, finally stated some of the things that had been burning in the back of her mind, finally pointed out that he was unfair and treated her like an outcast – and yet she didn't feel nearly as accomplished as she thought she would.

Nothing had changed between them, she felt impossibly frustrated, and to top it off, as she took a side glance toward the bitter Captain who was either so lost in thought he didn't notice her gaze, or was truly so angry he was completely ignoring her, a part of her actually felt _guilty_.

"I wasn't aware that gentlemen was your Captain, my dear. He seems like a nice young man."

The hostess' words, almost so out of place, grabbed her attention once more and she found she wasn't sure how to respond. Petra hadn't heard anyone use the words 'nice' or 'gentlemen' to describe her Captain before, and the statement left her a bit torn.

Trying to be casual and not let the silence prolong, Petra tried to laugh it off, speaking quietly so her words wouldn't be overheard, "Well, I suppose. It seems everything I do is wrong in his eyes- if you saw all of that go down anyhow. He's extremely picky."

As the woman put the last of the bills away in her apron, a small grin came to her face, an expression that looked as though she found her words amusing, "Well I don't know about _that_ deary…"

At Petra's confused look, the old woman shrugged, her smile patient as she explained, "A man scares off four hoodlums on your behalf and he's still in the wrong? I don't mean to judge my dear, but I do wonder who the picky one is here."

The woman's words were so simple and so pointed that Petra found this time she truly didn't have a response at all, and could only nod dumbly before mumbling, "Keep the change…"

Walking out the door and into the streets, Petra put her hands in her pockets, feeling her brows knit together in contemplation, having been given much to think about.

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Alright that's a wrap!

I really enjoyed this chapter, and apologies that it did come out be a lot longer than the average story. I try to keep these chapters anywhere between 5k – 7k words, and this chapter is just around 9.5k! That will not be the norm (sorry to those who prefer longer chapters like this) however this particular chapter had a lot going on that didn't feel right to be cut or rushed over.

As for the next update… hm. Maybe this time next month? Roughly? I am trying to be gracious with my deadlines, because I do keep rather busy in my daily life, and I don't want to have another six month hiatus again.

Either way, again I appreciate the support yall have given me. Review, follow, whatever floats your boat and I'll see yall at the next update!

~Midnight


	5. Chapter 5

Hello again! Midnight here :)

Thanks to all those who stuck around, and to the new readers that have jumped on board along the way. *stretches out and yawns* Getting these chapters written and posted is hard work, especially between all the life changes that have occurred this year, and just in this past month! Wouldn't you believe it, in less than three weeks, one of my sisters (I have three) moved away to a new country, and another just announced that she is pregnant with her next child - meaning that I potentially have SIX nieces now? Or perhaps five nieces and one nephew!? Who knows, but it's an exciting time!

As always I appreciate the support, kind words, and encouragement yall leave behind for me. You make it both a joy and privilege to be able to write and I thank you for it.

Enjoy the read!

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The remainder of the trip had been spent in silence, though it hadn't bothered Petra like it usually did.

Her focus had been lost to a myriad of thoughts and attempting to sort through them while conversing would prove to be a difficult task, especially considering the only person she would be speaking with was the same one who had her thoughts running wild.

She was admittedly angry at herself, among other things. Now that the heat of the moment had passed, she wished she would have stuck up a bit more for herself instead of hoping things would somehow just play out in her favor. As if that wasn't enough, she still felt very unsatisfied about how the interaction between her and the Captain had played out in the end.

What she had told him before, it was all true. He treated her notably different then he did the rest of the squad. He made her feel so ostracized – it was almost like he went out of his way to show her just how unwelcome she was. He always made a point of focusing on her flaws, and if she ever spoke up in the group or tried to make changes or have any influence whatsoever, he would just give her a long, unforgiving stare as though trying to get her to stop speaking up at all.

The worst part was, it actually worked.

Forget appealing to his good graces; she was constantly tip toeing around the Captain, hoping to just make it through the day without somehow showing up on his radar.

Above all, through all the emotions she was feeling, she felt like a fool. It had taken her a long time to be able to put her finger on it, but she knew doubtlessly that the reason she was so unsatisfied was simply because running her mouth wasn't what she had really wanted in the end.

At the end of the day, she wanted _results_.

She wasn't looking for an apology, wasn't looking for them to become best friends – but she was hoping through some twisted sense that if she pointed out how unfair he was being, brought to light that yes she noticed and yes it was wrong, he would realize the harm it was doing and change his ways. Maybe it wasn't even _him_ that needed to change – Petra wasn't so blind as to think she was perfect – but if she needed to change so being on the same team was at least feasible between them, he at least needed to be open to communicate with her. She wasn't expecting anything dramatic, she was a logical girl after all, but something had to give sooner rather than later.

Certainly the Captain understood that their team, _his_ team, could not function with the two of them always at odds, right?

She let out an exhale; the first sound that had been uttered since they had left the town.

As true as all those things were, she knew that snapping at him was not going to encourage him to open up and freely communicate with her. If that was her goal, she had taken a large step back. She needed to change her tactics.

"Captain." Petra stated quietly, looking ahead as she wasn't able to bring herself to look at him just yet, "Why are you doing this?"

She had planned on adding more to her question, to clarify her meaning. Something like, 'Why are you still here?' or 'If you are unhappy here, you can leave, it won't hurt my feelings' came to mind, however Petra found that the words died on her tongue, so her single vague question hung in the air.

She heard him respond in an equally quiet tone, his voice devoid of emotion, "Well. It's not like I have anything better to do."

Petra didn't have an immediate response, and the pair fell silent again.

* * *

"Um…" Petra looked upward as she tried to recollect the small details she hadn't thought too much about until now, "I can't be positive, but I'm guessing that father has a cot set up for you in his workshop. If not there, then possibly the common room – though I sort of doubt that due to the lack of privacy."

They had traveled the remaining leg of the journey and were now only a few blocks away from her home. Earlier when they had gotten to the cross roads that led around the forest, Petra had decided that she really didn't care how much longer the journey became – if only for today, she was done fighting the Captain.

She had weakly asked which way he wanted to go, careful to ask in a manner that showed it was a legitimate question and not challenge, and he nodded into the forest wordlessly. His choice had legitimately surprised her, though she pretended like it was no big deal, and they took off. They had gotten to the edge of the forest without incident – no 'told you so' or quip from either of them. It seemed they both were sapped of the strength required to be at each other's throats after the day's long travels.

Wordlessly, begrudgingly, and exhausted, they made their way into the sleepy town.

Petra had spent the last few moments of their journey cramming in as many need to know facts as she could think of so the Captain could be best prepared for the week.

"Now Father is a Carpenter so I tried to warn him, but in truth I don't think you'll be able to escape there being random bits of sawdust everywhere throughout the workshop." She looked nervously toward Levi, who gave her an even stare in return, more so trying to mentally paint a picture with all the numerous details she was providing in such a short amount of time.

"It's not like I expect you to suffer or be uncomfortable…" Petra began, "I mean, we're dirty or anything, but if the place isn't to your liking it's not meant to be an insult or…" She paused, trying to find the right words. She gave a sigh, "Just don't go overboard when Father is around okay? I don't want to hurt his feelings."

"I get it." Levi cut her off, giving her a pointed look, "What else?"

Petra nodded, "Right. Well, when you first walk in the door that's the common room. There's a closet just to the left when you come in, so you can hang any coats and leave your shoes there if you want. Not that you have to. Now the common room has three open ways," Petra continued, speaking with her hands as she pointed each way to illustrate, "There is another doorway to the left that leads outside to the back property. As for the other two, the doorway straight ahead will lead toward the bedrooms, and the one more to the right will lead to the kitchen and dining area."

Levi gave a nod, and Petra continued, "As for the hallway, Father's room and workshop will be to the left when you first step in the hall. Father's room is the first door on the right, and the workshop is just straight down the hall at the end - can't miss it. My room, if you ever need me for anything, is on the opposite end of the hall, straight back. In the hall there's a utility closet to the left that's _probably_ full of junk." Petra sighed irritably, and Levi quirked a brow, silently asking what was so notable about this particular closet to warrant such a reaction.

Petra rolled her eyes, waving her hand, "It's _supposed_ to be a linen closet. It has room for our cleaning supplies - oh, the cleaning supplies are in that closet by the way – but either way, Father likes to cram things in there more often then not. Last time I was there it was filled to the brim with random odds and ends, scattered throughout the towels and soap and such. Just keep in mind, it's a bit chaotic in there to say the least."

The Captain said nothing to this, and Petra exhaled, thinking a moment longer before continuing, "Speaking of which, the closet also has shampoo, conditioner, toiletries– most bathroom supplies you'll find in there if you need anything. The washroom is around back, straight behind the house. Father usually keeps a few chickens roaming around out there and they won't bother you much, but watch out for that rooster. He doesn't seem to like males as a whole, and he tends to get aggressive once your back is turned."

The Captain's eyes seemed to light up at the thought of a rooster attacking from behind, and a bemused expression crossed his face. Noting this, Petra gave a fond smile of her own and nodded with a light chuckle, "Yes it's cowardly but Father says he's protected the chickens well enough so far." She placed a hand to her chin, thinking out loud, "Let' see, I'm trying to think if I missed anything…" She thought for a moment longer, and then looked at the Captain directly.

"Any questions, or something that I forgot? I know you'll be fine either way, but if there's something you want to know just ask."

The Captain looked ahead, any traces of previous amusement gone from his face. His eyes narrowed in thought, "Does your father approve of you being in the Scout Regiment?"

A moment of silence fell between them, and Petra blinked, somewhat perplexed. While she had opened the floor for questions, she hadn't expected questions like that. She had been meaning any concerns about the house, where things were located, or maybe the week's schedule. For a moment she thought about asking him why it even mattered if her father approved or not as it wasn't any of his business, however the question was innocent enough, even if it had taken her by surprise.

She waited a moment to collect her thoughts and gave a slight 'eeehh', then a shrug, "He… well, he…" Petra sighed in defeat, giving a lopsided grin, "No. Not really anyways. He's not exactly comfortable with his only child battling Titans for a living. He always wanted me to take over the family trade, or marry a guy that would I guess. Honestly we don't talk about it much."

"I see."

She looked toward the Captain, grinning a bit before looking back toward the road, "It's nothing to worry about though. Of course his opinion matters to me, but he's just being a typical over protective parent - you know how that is." She chuckled for a moment longer as she thought about the various conversations her father and her had exchanged over the years, amused at how stubborn the both of them could be, as it was still considered an unresolved discussion to this day.

She nodded towards the Captain, clearing her throat, "What else?"

He gave a small shake of his head, hardly a response at all, watching the road with an unreadable expression. Petra opened her mouth to speak, about to ask for a third time if she forgot anything, but stopped herself as she realized the repetition wasn't really necessary. The conversation came to an end, both silent as they slowly moved through the street.

They continued at their gentle pace, until Petra nodded at a small brown house at the very end of the street they were coming up on, "That's it right over there," she pointed, "We made it."

They moved toward the house, and Petra instructed that they could leave their horses around back at least for the night and move them to the town's stables in the morning – everyone would be asleep by now so no point in trying to go there now.

Hopping off her horse and showing the Captain the best spot to tie them down for the night, Petra almost smiled as she noticed that there had been a large wooden troth left out that was full of water. Her father must have put it out for them, expecting a late arrival.

Petra looked toward the Captain for a moment, then set to work on untying all the knots that secured her things to the saddle, "Captain, this week, don't feel like you have to do anything special out here. You are our guest and I know my father wouldn't have you trying to do anything to earn your keep. We serve breakfast in the morning, lunch is usually a fend for yourself kind of deal so you're welcome to whatever you can find, and we usually have dinner together. For that though, don't feel obligated to join if you don't want to."

He gave a silent nod as he also set to work in grabbing the various bags he had packed for the journey, asking after a moment where she wanted the saddles placed.

After they had grabbed all their bags and luggage, Levi moved toward the sidewalk, waiting for Petra to join and lead the way into the house, regardless its obvious location. After a few moments of waiting idly while she pet her horse in a nervous manner, the Captain spoke up; feeling rather impatient at having to wait for the suddenly dawdling Petra, "…You coming?"

"I've been thinking…" Petra stated after a moment, bringing an arm around herself and rubbing her forearm in thought, displaying a sort of nervousness in her stance as she spoke, "About earlier today in town."

At her words, Levi quirked a brow and crossed his arms, turning more fully toward her. His voice was guarded, "What about it?"

Petra gave a slight shrug, "Well, I… What I'm trying to say is…today when I was talking and trying to explain… It's just - I'm sorry I guess. How the conversation came about like that, the fact you had to intervene at all…" she bit her lower lip and shook her head, "I shouldn't have put you in that position. At least not like that. I'm sorry Captain. You… you did train me better."

He watched as she continued to rub her forearm, clutching at it from time to time in either memory, or pain. He wondered briefly why she kept doing that – her unease was agitating to him - but he then realized that was the same location where he had grabbed her before. He had purposely applied great force to move her away from the men, and being her Captain, he knew she could handle it. A part of him couldn't help but wonder if he had unintentionally injured her in the process.

"You didn't _put_ me in any situation," he corrected, disregarding his thoughts and watching as surprise etched across her face, "And as for apologies, I couldn't care less. I didn't do anything I couldn't handle, and it was an action I would take for any of my subordinates if it became necessary. Don't think too much about it."

"No, really Captain I…" Petra's voice was urgent at first died down as she thought over the circumstance again, then looked up at him nervously, "Thank you."

Her golden orbs captured his, and she looked so hopeful, so vulnerable. He watched her for a moment, not sure how she was expecting him to respond to her words and her far too vulnerable gaze. He gave a sigh as the silence began to draw out, watching her evenly, "…I already said don't worry about it. Now are we going inside, or do you just want to stare at me with that dumbass expression all night?"

Petra blinked, then her expression melted into the tiniest of smiles, "Very well Captain."

They made their way toward the front of the house, and Petra gave a small smile as they approached the door, giving a light knock while simultaneously turning the door handle and stepping inside.

"Hello?" she called out in a whisper, seemingly not sure if her father would be awake or not, "Father, you up?"

There was no response, and she turned back to Levi and shook her head once, taking a cautious step inside and carefully slipping off her shoes as she made her way into the living room, purposely making as little noise as possible. She waited for the Captain to follow suit, hearing him shuffle behind her and the click of the lock as he fully stepped into the room behind her.

"Home sweet home." She stated quietly with a smile as she stood in the middle of the room, happy that her father had left a few candles lit so the room wouldn't be engulfed by darkness when they first entered in. She looked around, "Well, I don't see a cot set up here for you. I think its safe to say that you'll be in the workshop after all then. Again its right through that doorway and-"

"Petra?" A voice echoing from the other end of the house caught her attention, and an excited smile flashed across her face that warmed her expression.

She looked at Levi brightly, "That's Father. Sounds like he's up after all!" She turned back toward the doorway, "Dad, we're in the living room!"

In a few moments, a middle aged man with fading brown hair and glasses appeared in the doorway, setting the candle he was holding down on a nearby table and moving quickly to his daughter, hugging her tightly. Observing the two and allowing them a moment, Levi inwardly decided that Petra must have taken after her mother, as she hardly resembled the tall man before him.

"And who is this?" came the man's voice after a moment, standing up straighter and resting a hand on Petra's shoulder as he observed him.

' _Scratch that,'_ Levi thought as he exchanged stares with the man, looking back at his subordinate for confirmation, _'Petra has her father's eyes.'_

"Dad, this is my Captain. Captain, this is of course, my father."

"Sharp looking lad- Petra's told me a lot about you. We're well met." The older man took a step toward him and held out his hand. Not sure how to respond to his previous statement, Levi merely gave a nod and returned the handshake firmly.

"Levi." He stated simply, and he watched her father nod.

"Peter."

As if a moment of understanding had passed between them, Levi decided simply that he liked Petra's father; for the most part at least.

Her father, Peter, looked between the two of them with a smile, "Well what would you like to do? I'm sure you're tired, but in the off chance you're not we could have a midnight snack and play cards or something. It's been a long time since I've been able to see my only child."

At this, her father placed a large hand on the top of her head, musing her hair playfully and earning an outraged 'hey' from Petra as she swatted at his hand with a large grin, clearly not as offended as she pretended to be.

Levi made a mental note that she had her father's smile as well, absentmindedly wondering why Petra was suddenly staring at him with an expectant gaze. As an extended moment passed by, he realized she was waiting for him to make the judgment call about whether they would stay up or not.

He suppressed a sigh.

He wasn't sure why he was the one to make the decision; he supposed it was just their way of being considerate. He internally debated staying up for a while later and spending time with the Ral family. Truthfully he didn't care either way if they stayed up or not, though he didn't exactly know all that many card games, and frankly didn't want to spend hours pretending like he actually gave a damn about what the rules were.

Besides…

"I'm pretty tired actually."

That, Levi thought to himself, was a lie. It was hardly like he'd have a good night's sleep – however the interaction between himself and Petra's father had gone well enough and he didn't want to ruin it by offending either of them somehow. It would be better to keep his distance instead of being overly friendly and step on toes by mistake.

Peter gave a nod, "I understand. Allow me to show you the space we've got set up for you; it's right this way."

As Levi bent down to grab his bags and follow after her father, his hand brushed against Petra's and he jolted slightly in surprise, withdrawing for a moment before looking up at her in silent question. She had apparently moved to stand beside him, half bent down as she also moved down to grab his things from the floor.

She was holding onto one of his duffle bags as she stood up slowly, and it seemed the interaction had embarrassed her as her face began to quickly turn red. She took a breath and explained herself, "Sorry, I was trying to be helpful considering you're a guest and all…" her voice died down and she awkwardly extended her arm out, holding his duffle bag by the handle toward him, "But…you don't really need help carrying your things I suppose. Just force of habit I guess. Here."

 _...The hell?_

Levi gave a slow nod, watching her with a confused expression, avoiding touching her again as he grabbed his bag back from her, the interaction odd to say the least, "Yeah, uh, thanks."

He watched her for a moment longer, and her face only got more and more red as he observed her. She looked to the ground, "Um, sleep well I guess. I'll just… well, I'll see you guys in the morning."

She grabbed her bags and moved toward the hallway, stopping in front of her father with a small grin. Her father gave a slight laugh, musing her hair once again.

Petra quirked an eyebrow and gave a sarcastic smile – it was obvious the two were very close. "Night Dad."

He kissed her forehead softly, putting a hand on her shoulder in a side hug, "Good to see you princess. Get some rest."

At that, Petra turned down the hall, her light steps echoing across the dark hallway and Peter's gaze moved back toward him. He grabbed the candle he had been holding onto previously, "Shall we then?"

They moved down the hall, and Levi couldn't help but think that the escort was far from necessary. It was a single hall, and for that matter, Petra had already told him where the room was. Not that her father would have known their conversations, but still. The Captain remained silent and followed dutifully behind the older man.

Petra's father opened the door as they reached the end of the hall, stepping to one side of the hallway to allow passage, "And here's my workshop." Levi took the first steps in, moving past Peter as he stepped into the open room.

As expected, it was a large spacious area, full of different types and flanks of wood, random projects that were in various stages of completion, large tables, and as Petra had predicted, saw dust in every nook and cranny and surface of the room. Rusted old tools, piles of wood and scraps, as well as random bits of storage bins were placed haphazardly around the room to such an extent that unless Levi were being guided by some form of light, there was no way he could safely navigate through the room without bumping something or toppling something over.

As unpleasant as all those things were, there was still something oddly comforting about the distinct aroma of cedar throughout the room, and Levi found that for all its lack of order, he didn't hate it.

Seeing a cot set up in the back right corner, Levi made his way toward the backend of the room, weaving throughout the random piles of wood and tools before reaching an area clearly set for a guest, setting his things down on the cot and surveying the provided area.

He heard Peter clear his throat as he followed after him, "Not too often we get guests out here anymore so apologies if the cot is a bit lumpy; it's getting a bit old."

Levi didn't have a response to this, and Peter continued, "There's a dresser here, night stand, and there's a handful of hooks on the wall if you need to hang anything up, all of which you are welcome to use of course." He paused, a perturbed look on his face, "Oh shoot, I knew I was forgetting something. I forgot to grab some hangers for you. Well, just ask Petra for some in the morning, most of them are in her closet anyway."

Levi gave a faint nod, looking at the bit of provided furniture and giving the room another once over as Peter continued, "Anyway, we have candles set out all around the house; I also put some in the top drawer of the dresser for you as well."

Peter looked toward him directly, "What else? Any questions, or something that I forgot maybe?"

At his remark, Levi almost smirked, remembering that Petra had practically said the exact same thing during their travels earlier. Even if the family resemblance didn't run that strong between them, there was no doubt they were cut from the same cloth.

He shook his head, "It's fine."

Peter gave a nod, "Alright then. Now that that's settled, I'd like to have a word with you – man to man if that's okay."

Levi watched as Peter sat up on the dresser's edge in a comfortable manner, suggesting that he may be there for quite some time and Levi had to resist the urge to cross his arms. He wasn't sure what sort of conversation he had in mind, but if it was something that required the absence of Petra, he was rather wary to say the least.

Unfortunately it didn't seem like he had much of a choice in the matter, and Levi gave a shallow nod, "Sure."

"I hope you won't think me rude, I don't want to be too direct or demanding, but I am a rightfully concerned father. You see Petra and I, we don't really talk about the military often due to the fact that we don't agree on the matter – but she writes about the squad from time to time, _your_ squad if I'm not mistaken. She wrote that the team is specialized and you yourself are very skilled. So, I guess my question here is-"

Peter paused, looking up directly toward him, his expression gravely serious, "Can you protect my daughter?"

Levi observed him squarely, a long moment of silence passing between them. He didn't want to validate the question with a response. Trying to explain the dangers of the Titans, the uncertainty of all things the military had to account for while outside the walls, the fact that so many men - _good_ men - had been lost at no fault of their own, was fucking impossible to explain to someone outside of the military – to someone who had never seen a damn Titan in the first place. Aside from that, the fact of the matter was that while Levi himself wished he could protect Petra, his squad, and his comrades, at the end of the day, he was only one man, and the Titans were still so strong.

The silence extended longer still, and Peter sighed, "I know that's not exactly fair to ask, and believe me Petra would be furious if she knew I was talking to you like this, but…she's all I have left." He gave an extended sigh and adjusted his weight across the dresser's surface, speaking lightly, "Her mother died at a young age so it's just been me and her making it through life together. You can imagine my surprise when Petra comes home one day, grinning ear to ear and telling me she's going to join the military. Honestly I don't even know _how_ the idea got in her head as I sure didn't put it there. Had I known how serious she was back then, I would have responded differently." Peter waved his hand dismissively with a shake of his head, "It's in the past now, but she's already gone so much as it is; I don't want to completely lose my little girl."

There was a note of finality as Peter watched him, and Levi gave a slow understanding nod, wondering how to best respond to her Father in a respectful, yet still honest way.

He spoke slowly, picking his words carefully, "Petra is… She's got sharp intuition, probably the best on my squad actually." Thinking further about her uncanny ability to make the best call in a pinch, the Captain narrowed his eyes, "While that may not sound like a lot, I can promise you that's what keeps you alive out there, more so than strength or speed."

Another pause.

"…I'll bet those things don't hurt to have though."

"No, not at all." Levi looked up toward her father, "I don't know how much Petra has explained about my squad, but we are the best at what we do; she won't be picked off that easily. While I won't make false promises, I can say that I don't make a habit of letting my team get hurt if it can be prevented, and that includes Petra."

Peter gave a nod, taking in his words for a moment before responding, "I understand, and appreciate that. You see, a large matter of concern to me is that Petra wrote so often about how excited she was to join the squad at the start of this year, trying to explain that it was a really big opportunity." He paused, looking up at him with a raised brow and a slight smirk, "To this day she speaks so highly of you – you know she has a whole lot of respect for you, right?"

Levi looked toward the ground, his voice almost a whisper, "…I know."

Peter sighed, "To be honest with you, while I am happy Petra seems to have motivation and direction for what she wants to do with her life, I was hoping that after a few years in the military, she'd get over this apparent glory tirade and come back home where she belongs. I thought she was going to resign at the start of this year - instead I find she's only getting further caught up in the Regiment and seems even farther away than before. I feel I have been patient enough with her, supportive and kind through these past many years, however enough is enough. I have every intention in bringing my daughter home through whatever means necessary. To be straight with you, I intend to see to it that as soon as she can leave the military, she returns home and away from you and your wild lifestyle."

"My wild lifestyle?" Levi repeated testily, watching her father with a slight glare.

It was irritating enough to hear that Peter didn't give a damn about any of Petra's wishes, lacked any respect for what she had accomplished in the short time she was on his squad, but his statements about him and his 'wild lifestyle' weren't fair.

There was a pause as the men regarded each other, and Peter gave a sigh.

"…That was worded poorly. You above all know how dangerously the Scouts live, especially in comparison to the average civilian." Peter folded his hands, "I want to clarify that I am not against the military, and am not against the Scouts by any means. On the contrary, I understand full well that someone has to go, and I appreciate you putting your life on the line so that those who live within the walls can live out their days peacefully. As selfish as it is, I don't want Petra to have to make that ultimate sacrifice and intend to get her out of your team, and out of the military, as quickly as possible."

Levi tried to keep his tone neutral, though he could feel his patience starting to wear thin at the thought of Petra being removed from his squad. "Why are you telling me this? What occurs between you and Petra is not my concern. While I can say that Petra seems very devoted to the Scouts and rather content with her current lifestyle, I wouldn't stop her if she chose to live as a civilian instead, if that is your concern."

"I appreciate your understanding and-"

"However." Levi interrupted, unable to stop the nagging impulse to cross his arms, finally lacing his arms in front of his chest and leaning back against the wall, "I will not be encouraging her to leave my squad either. I took a lot of careful considerations when creating my team, and she's proven to be a good fit. More importantly than that, she has great potential within the Regiment and as her Captain I intend to see to it that she reaches that full potential."

The two men stared at each other for a long moment, both waiting for the other to speak further.

Peter gave a sigh and shook his head, an ironic sort of smirk at his lips, "I know full well that Petra is a treasure to have; I understand better than most why you wouldn't want to give her up so easily." He paused again, looking toward him with conviction, "I bring this to your attention simply because the fact of the matter is, I am well aware that Petra's heart no longer resides in this household. I _will_ be talking with her and doing what I can to redirect her focus, however if my attempts fail, then you need to be aware and own up to the fact that she is under your watch – I have been left with no choice but to trust you to watch out for her on my behalf."

Levi showed no reaction to his words, though listened intently as Peter continued, "I have to know that you will be there for her when I can't be; that you are someone who can stand up to and help guide my daughter in my absence. Petra has always been so strong willed, sometimes downright impossible to work with – just like her mother – but she's got a good head on her shoulders and a heart as big as the sky. I need to know that I am not the only person who cares about what happens to her out there."

Peter paused for a moment, his voice quieting slightly, "I know it's asking a lot and I know that it's not fair to put the responsibility of a father on a young man that I've just met, but these are hard times and I'm out of options. Is Petra in safe hands where I can trust her under your care?"

Levi quirked an eyebrow, admittedly surprised at the sharp turn the conversation had taken. It was as though he were making more of a business deal than simply engaging in a 'man to man' talk like he had been told previously, and he was half tempted to force the conversation to an end just for the hell of it. Why should he have to make any special deals or show extra effort, just because she had family back at home? Technically speaking, it was Petra's job to watch out for her damn self, _not_ his. Besides, she was certainly skilled enough, and for that matter Peta would be furious if she caught wind that he was watching out for her just because her father requested it. Still though, as Peter watched him for a response, his amber eyes begging him to understand, to care just a little bit more - Levi gave a long, low sigh.

 _Fuck it._

"I already made that decision long before she came to my team." Levi began, looking up toward the ceiling in contemplation, "Even if she doesn't like it and fights me every step of the way, I'll always be watching over her shoulder; ready to step in when she needs it. Those times have already come up before, and she never responds well as she's ridiculously stubborn. Still though, I am her Captain, and she _is_ my subordinate."

Peter gave a small smile at his words and an accepting nod followed, "Well that's one way of putting it I guess. Alright Levi, I'll trust in your words. Petra doesn't follow just anyone after all, so the fact she listens to you at all is proof enough for me. I am counting on you to protect her, Captain. Keep her safe."

At this he stood up and extended his hand, another firm handshake being exchanged between the two men.

While Levi wasn't completely comfortable with how things had turned out, there was something about the exchange that made him want to try that much harder, for Petra.

Difficult as she was and try as he may to keep her at arm's length, she had long since proved her worth on the squad. In the past many months she had become an undeniable source of wisdom and encouragement to the others, and as she had stated before, she was consistently ranked the highest in many of their performance goals.

Still though, he had always wanted to keep his distance from her because while he knew it was selfish and knew that it wasn't fair…

He gave a light sigh, shutting down his train of thought and refocusing his attentions back to her father. Now was not the time for that.

"And again just to clarify," Peter stated as he dusted the bits of sawdust off himself, "I don't want you to feel unwelcome or that you need to tiptoe around me this week. While it's true that I don't necessarily approve of my daughter being in the military, it's a privilege to finally meet you after all this time. Feel free to make yourself at home while you're here; I'm sure it will be a wonderful week for you both."

The formerly tense atmosphere continued to dissipate as Peter gave a chuckle, his voice dropping to a slight mumble, "Oh, and let's just keep this little chat between us if it's all the same with you? It's not that I don't trust Petra or anything, but she thinks I meddle in her business too much as it is. With this being the first time she's been home in so long, I don't want to upset her with something like this."

Levi could only shrug, "It's fine."

Even with what little Levi knew of Petra, he could only imagine the sort of things she would have said had she actually been present for the conversation that had transpired between them. Looking back it was no wonder her father had waited until she was gone; she would have been furious.

Peter smiled, "I appreciate it. Well, I think I'll leave and let you get some rest. It was nice meeting you Levi, and thanks for choosing to spend your free time with my family. I think Petra was really worried for you."

At that, the older man gave a polite wave and walked out of the room, leaving Levi alone in the large workshop.

… _Worried for him?_

Levi shook his head at the thought, finding it difficult to imagine the ginger haired hellion being worried for him about something so frivolous, finally taking a seat on the provided cot – sighing as he realized it was every bit as lumpy as Peter warned him about previously. Levi inwardly noted that he would have to fix that, but the task could wait for a later date. For now, he just needed to unpack, unwind, and get some damned sleep.

The Captain set to work on unpacking, first walking around the large room in search of a dry cloth, finally finding one in a nearby cabinet and using it to thoroughly wipe down all the provided furniture he would be using for the week, brushing off the sawdust from the wooden surfaces. He began refolding his clothes and setting them in the dresser, deciding to move the candles to a more appropriate location, again dusting out the fallen bits of wax and dust before sorting his things fully.

A bedspread had been folded and placed on the corner of the cot, and while the large cotton blanket may have been a bit excessive considering the room was a bit on the stuffy side as it was, Levi was grateful for it as he hadn't wanted to lug around a giant blanket during their previous travels.

Looking around at his bags and deciding the rest of his things could wait until morning, Levi set to work on making the bed, determined to get some rest. He wasn't sure if he would actually be able to fall asleep or not considering the new location, however at this point he truly was exhausted and even just clearing his mind would help, sleep or not.

Grabbing one of the nearby candles, Levi moved around the room, blowing out the glowing lights one by one before finally navigating back to the corner of the room, setting the candlestick down and blowing it out as well before laying out across the cot, shifting often in attempts to find a comfortable spot. After a few moments of wrestling across the lumpy old cot, Levi found a decently comfortable position, adjusted his pillow and tried to allow the blackness to clear his mind.

It wasn't until many hours later that his mind was ripped into alertness, and Levi instantly sat straight up from his bed – rigid for a moment until he remembered that he was at Petra's home so there was very little threat of danger. He relaxed slightly at the thought and slowly came to full alertness, allowing his back to rest against the wall as he mused to himself that such a reaction meant he actually had fallen asleep after all.

He really must have been exhausted then.

He briefly wondered what it was that had woken him up like that, however his answer was quickly given to him, the unmistakable, pissed off voice of Petra echoing across the walls and grabbing his attention once again. While it was obvious she was on the other end of the house, it seemed the walls were rather thin as he could clearly hear her word for word.

"Dad! I've _told_ you to just drop it! I can't believe you did that!" It was clear she was livid, and Levi could only assume that her father was with her, seemingly taking a verbal beating for their previous conversation. Petra continued, impressively able to shout without once stopping to breathe, "I am so embarrassed! That's my _Captain_ , my _boss_ , the guy I _report_ to, who I'm trying to impress – the same person that need I remind you always seems to think I'm good for nothing!"

"Now listen sweetie I don't think it's nearly as-"

"No _you_ listen! You don't know the Captain like I do! The last thing I need is him smirking at me with that pompous, smug stare of his, thinking I'm weak or that I need my daddy to watch out for me. You _know_ he's going to rub it in right?"

Levi smirked at this, and he could imagine her expression as her voice dropped in horror, "Oh gosh, if this gets around to the guys back at the compound I'm NEVER going to live it down. This is the worst!"

Admittedly amused by her outburst, Levi laid back down across the cot, adjusting himself again and listening further as the two argued back and forth for a long while, neither seeming to come to any form of agreement – mainly because Petra never allowed her father a word in edge wise.

Slowly, sleep finally claimed his mind again and any further remarks on the matter were lost in the night.

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Aaannd that's a wrap!

Alright guys, so apologies here as I feel terrible about this somewhat non-canon thing I have done, as I am one that prides myself on doing the proper research before I start writing. Well, I'm not even sure where I got the idea, however the entire time I've written Petra/Levi, in my mind Petra grew up an only child who didn't have a mom (I imagine death by illness, childbirth, that sort of thing.) where she just grew up with just her father.

Well if you look back at that scene that we shall _not_ speak of, where Levi legit meets Petra's father in the anime/manga – the character makes references to her mother as a very alive and well character in the SnK universe. Ack! Soo…apologies for all who may have been scratching their head, wondering if/when Petra's mom would be making an appearance.

At this point I feel it's a bit too late to magically add Petra's mom back into the mix, meaning the story will remain as is with the knowledge that Petra's mom is dearly departed, long passed and up in the clouds with a delightful pair of fluffy angel wings. We will always remember her fondly as 'Petra's mom.' May her memory live on in her hearts, and not in this story.

Rest in peace.


End file.
